


Crossing the Line

by SMB814



Series: Whatever Will Be [4]
Category: Tales of Symphonia
Genre: Angst, Character Study, Drama, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-12-27
Updated: 2010-12-27
Packaged: 2017-10-14 03:58:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 62,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/145089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SMB814/pseuds/SMB814
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Part 4 of the "Whatever Will Be" series. Some lines, once crossed, can never be uncrossed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Season

**Author's Note:**

> **Rating:** T
> 
>  **Warnings:** Zelos being Zelos -- i.e. adult themes, mild language, innuendo, mild sexual situations, etc.
> 
>  **Category:** Romance/Fluff, Drama, Angst, Character study
> 
>  **Spoilers:** Spoilers for the game and the first three stories in this series.
> 
>  **Pairing:** Primarily Zelos/Sheena, but there is also a bit of mild Lloyd/Colette and one-sided Genis/Presea in this story
> 
>  **Time Frame:** Part 4 of the _Whatever Will Be_ series. If you haven't read the first three stories in the series ( _Mental Holiday_ , _Trust Building 101_ , and _Exceptions to the Rules_ , then go do that first or you won't understand the place where these two are currently at. (The seven stories in the series are, in order, _Mental Holiday_ , _Trust Building 101_ , _Exceptions to the Rules_ , _Crossing the Line_ , _The Experiment_ , _Guardian Knight_ , and _Worth It_.)
> 
>  **Disclaimer:** Alas, Tales of Symphonia and its lovely characters don't belong to me. They belong to Namco-Bandai Games. I'm just borrowing them and not making any money off them, and I promise I'll return them unharmed (and probably happier than they ever were before) when I'm done playing with them. Any characters you don't recognize from the game belong to me (even though I would be very happy to give certain ones away).
> 
>  **Feedback:** Feedback is love and fodder for future fics. It will probably motivate me to finish the rest of this series faster, too.
> 
>  **History:** Plotting began December 2008, completed June 13, 2009. Rough draft began April 7, 2010, completed May 22, 2010. Final version completed and posted on December 27, 2010.
> 
>  **Author's Notes:** Yes, this is another long story in the series. Tough. Enjoy it, because compared to the final three stories in the series, this one is actually rather short. The next two stories will be revised and posted together (like this story and _Exceptions to the Rules_ were), hopefully within the next month or two. My deadline for myself is to finish and post the final story sometime before Summer 2011.
> 
> Love, hugs, and thanks to Daidairo and Trickksi for being willing to read through the (extremely) messy initial draft(s) of the series, encouraging me to keep working on it, and giving me some helpful pointers to improve it, although any mistakes or typos you find are still solely my fault.
> 
> Also, many, _many_ thanks to everyone who took the time to read the first three stories and leave feedback on them. And my apologies to those who left such thoughtful, encouraging feedback on the previous story that I never had a chance to respond to; I had an extremely busy week at work (packing up my office for a massive move), and between that and trying to finish up this story before New Year's, I simply ran out of time and energy. I'm hoping to remedy that within the next week or two, Real Life permitting, because I am deeply grateful to everyone who took the time to comment on it.
> 
> This series was written first and foremost for _me_ , because I apparently needed to figure out a few things for myself and this series gave me a way to do that, but if even one other person enjoys it or gets something out of it, then I'll consider it to be a success.
> 
> Enjoy the ride, folks!

**Part 1: The Season**

Doing the laundry really wasn't Sheena's favorite activity. Doing it outside when the sky was overcast, the river she was washing it in was cold, and the chill of an approaching winter permeated the air was even worse. But despite that, she still couldn't help humming softly and enjoying the peace of the day as she worked.

Years ago she had found this tranquil spot in the forest a short walk from Mizuho, where the bubbling river that ran through the village split into two, one branch heading north and the other south. Whenever she wanted to clear her head, think, or just relax out in nature, this was where she came to sit, on a fallen log overlooking the fork in the river. While it was too cold to be doing this here now - she _should_ be at home warming herself beside her _irori_ \- and the sleeves of her coat kept getting in her way and getting wet, she'd just _felt_ like it today. She wasn't sure why, but she'd been unable to resist the urge, maybe because this was likely her last opportunity to do so until after winter gave way to spring.

And cool, overcast weather and boring, mundane activity or not, she really was enjoying it, feeling relaxed and content rather than impatient and dreary. But then, she realized, applying soap to her sheets, she couldn't remember the last time she'd felt sad. There was no other way to put it: she was happy. Ever since the worlds had reunited six months ago, life had been going well for her. Her grandfather was healthy, with no plans she knew of to retire as chief yet. Mizuho's reputation was improving in the king's eyes with every mission they completed for him. She hadn't had a nightmare about Volt in months. Her job as emissary hadn't been terribly demanding lately. And just last week Minister Giannovio had muttered some rather unkind sentiments about the Sylvaranti people in the king's presence, which had led to the king publicly scolding him and insisting that not only wouldn't he tolerate such negativity about their allies, but that he'd been hearing too many similar stories about Giannovio's prejudices lately and was suspending him as Foreign Minister through the first month of the New Year.

But as great as those things were, the best part was the fact that she had an incredible boyfriend, one who was able to put a smile on her face even when he wasn't nearby - which was why Sheena found her lips tugging upward even now. She and Zelos had been dating _five months_ now...a thought that still boggled her mind. At the start, she hadn't believed 'they' would last a week, and yet as impossible as it seemed, they were still together. Talk about surpassing the odds.

More than just surpassing the odds, though, she was _happy_. He _made_ her happy. Even after all this time, he still hadn't reverted into that narcissistic, womanizing jerk she couldn't stand, and he was still serious about her; he proved it every time he looked at her with sincere happiness and warmth and touched her face and kissed her with breathtaking reverence and love. She was comfortable with him; in fact, it was getting harder to remember how much she'd once dreaded being alone with him. And every date they went on, it seemed he devised something new and different for them to do - and while she often initially balked at the suggestion, in the end she always had a great time anyway, which emphasized how well he knew her if he could anticipate what she'd like. Whether it was his attempting to make her dinner, taking her out to the countryside to identify shapes in the clouds or the stars, or just taking a long walk through the forest, the truth was, she was enjoying - and, more than that, _cherishing_ \- every second she spent with him.

She'd spent so many years miserable and lonely, searching fruitlessly for happiness amidst her guilt and grief. But now it seemed every day she was smiling and laughing and forgetting about the tedium of daily life. How much of that was Zelos's influence and how much was simply the peace of mind and modicum of self-acceptance she'd found during the regeneration journey, she wasn't sure, but she had no doubt Zelos was an integral part of it. She had, after all, found beauty and excitement in places she'd never expected to find it thanks to his laid-back, relaxed attitude and the fact that, in being with him, she was able to look at life through the eyes of someone who'd learned long ago how to _live_ because he'd never known when his life would end. Being able to see things differently like that, to look outside her little ninja world and see what else awaited her, and to find beauty and enjoyment in things like he did was a treasure she wouldn't trade for anything.

And what astounded her most was that it was working in reverse, too: Zelos also seemed to be appreciating things he never had before, and when Sheena picked their activity for a date, he, too, was always surprised how much he enjoyed it, even if it wasn't something he'd normally do. Sure, he was still playful and joked around and acted stupid more often than he didn't, undoubtedly to make her smile and laugh, but the more time that passed, the more Sheena could see it: overall, he was calmer and happier, with life and with himself. He was growing up. He was taking his life more seriously. He was making smarter, more selfless and admirable choices with his time and money. Her hunch regarding the cause behind his transformation seemed clear, too: not just because he'd let someone see the real him, but because she'd accepted him for it. Heck, other than a few times when she'd been in a bad mood to start out with (in which case he always quickly backed off), she couldn't even remember the last time his silliness had truly irritated her!

She wasn't sure yet whether the change was solely him or if her _perception_ of him had changed, but whatever it was, she loved it, the man he was becoming. He'd always been sharper and more sensitive to others, to _her_ , than she'd ever given him credit for, and while in the past he'd used those traits to push her buttons, now he was using them to make her happy. And that, in turn, made her want to be more sensitive to him, too. It had taken her time to start picking up on his nuances and remember to pay attention to his needs and moods, but she was determined to extend him the same courtesy he was extending her. And when she _did_ catch something and responded to it in a way that made him smile - which was happening more frequently - that made her feel pretty darn good, too.

This whole relationship, the changes that came with it, the happiness it brought her...it was incredible. Everything about being with Zelos made her feel warm and loved. She loved seeing the world through his eyes and knowing she helped him do the same. Sure, everything could change at any second should her grandfather decide to retire, or if Zelos were to announce that he'd realized the future that awaited her wasn't one he wanted part of, or if something else forced the issue and tore them apart, but she was making a concerted effort to ignore those possibilities and instead focus on _living_. After all, worrying about the future, she'd found, just depressed her, which she didn't want. Zelos had learned long ago how to enjoy life even with the axe of the Chosen hanging over his neck, by ignoring the parts he couldn't control; Sheena would do the same.

 _Whatever will be, will be._

Finished washing her sheets, she laid them out over her basket and turned to grab her last pile of laundry...and it was then that she caught sight of a splash of red in her peripheral vision. Sheena turned to look...and jumped as she found the object of her thoughts casually leaning back against a nearby tree, watching her, his arms folded behind his head.

"Zelos!" she said, lifting a hand to her chest to calm her startled heart. Normally he wasn't able to sneak up on her - he didn't possess an ounce of ninja inconspicuousness in him - but this time he had. So how had he managed that? Had she really been so lost in thought that she hadn't noticed him? Or was he finally learning how to be stealthy? Whatever the case, it was obvious he'd intentionally avoided getting her attention, and she was impressed he'd succeeded. Quickly relaxing, she took a deep breath and offered him a warm but embarrassed smile. "I didn't know you were there."

He grinned but didn't budge from his spot. "Yep, here I am."

Her first thought was _'Aren't you cold?'_ when she noted he wasn't wearing a coat, but then she remembered him saying that indifference toward extreme temperatures was a side effect of being an angel and so she bit her tongue, not wanting to remind him of that unhappy subject. Her second thought was that something about him seemed off, since when she'd first seen him, he hadn't been smiling, just watching her with a thoughtful expression on his face, one tinged with something she thought might have been a frown, but his grin now seemed to be sincere and so she let that go, too. Instead, she chuckled shyly, motioned at him, and asked, "How long have you been standing there?"

"Eh, a little while," he said with a shrug.

 _Yeah, big surprise: he was staring at me again._ Sheena rolled her eyes, her blush flaring, but she could feel a smile toying on her lips, too. Months ago she would have smacked him for that, and her hands still itched to do so now, but while it still felt weird to know how beautiful and stare-worthy he apparently found her to be, she also knew he was sincere about it and so she resisted the urge. Instead, she chose to glare pointedly at him and playfully scold, "What have I told you about staring at me?"

Zelos grinned cheekily. "Not to get caught while doing it."

Her eyes narrowed. "Ah...not quite. It was actually, _'Don't do it.'_ "

"Heh, that's what _you_ think you said," he replied, lowering his hands and pointing at her. " _I_ distinctly remember you saying, _'Don't stare at me when I know you're doing it.'_ You didn't know I was doing it, so..."

Sheena growled as he shrugged in a way that most people would deem innocent but that just worsened her itch to smack him. He listened to her; really, he did. Just not when he didn't want to. Or when he could find a crafty, creative way around what she was saying. "No, that's not what I..." But then he waggled his eyebrows, and she knew exactly what he was doing: goading her into bantering with him. And when he did that, she stood no chance of winning because the idiot refused to admit defeat. So since she didn't feel like smacking him today - despite the fact that he apparently _wanted_ to be smacked - she waved that off, hoping to lure him out of idiot mode. "Eh, never mind. I give up."

But naturally, the idiot refused to leave yet. "Heh. Knew I'd win that battle eventually."

"Yeah, because you cheated by rewriting history to suit your whims," she muttered. "Either way, you could've said something and let me know you were standing there instead of staring at me for Jizou only knows how long."

His eyebrows flew upward and he motioned at her. "And ruin this stunningly hot visual of you playing domestic goddess with this inexplicable but beautiful smile on your face?"

Instantly, her blush deepened, and she quickly looked away, hoping he didn't question why she'd been smiling, because she really didn't want to tell him _he_ was the reason. Sure, overall he was far calmer now, but those old bouts of narcissism, joking or not, still occasionally reared their ugly head and made her gnash her teeth. When he was in this kind of mood, he did _not_ need to know how happy he made her; it would go straight to his head and he'd just tease her again - not maliciously, but relentlessly. Certain behaviors and attitudes she didn't need to encourage.

So instead of giving him that opening, Sheena arched an eyebrow and opted for a different tactic. "And let me guess, you mean that in a perverted way, don't you?"

He smirked broadly. "Only if that's how you want to take it, love."

She rolled her eyes again and shook her head as he finally pushed himself away from the tree, walked toward her, and sat down on the log beside her, but no amount of willpower could erase her amused grin. This man could bring out the strangest side of her, one she hadn't even realized existed until she'd met him - one that was getting stronger the longer they were dating. "You're an idiot. You know that, right?"

"Yes, I do believe you've told me that a couple hundred times now," he said, an infuriatingly playful twinkle in his eyes. "And what can I say? I've been an idiot since the moment I first laid eyes on you."

Sheena groaned and her head sank downward. Ugh, she couldn't believe he'd just said that, especially with that stupid grin on his face. No, wait, she _could_ believe it - and that was one of the most exasperatingly endearing things about him. She lifted her head and shook it in amused disgust. "You are so over-the-top and corny sometimes that I'd never believe you were a world-renowned charmer of women unless I'd seen all the women who _did_ fall for that kind of stupidity."

The idiot batted his eyelashes at her in another picture-perfect façade of innocence. "Hey, I am just that irresistible, and you know it! Don't try to deny it."

...Well, okay, she really _couldn't_ deny it when she had fallen for him, too, could she? She really hated when he was right about stupid things like that. She snorted and grinned wryly. "You do realize that over-the-top and corny doesn't work on me, though, right? You can be as over-the-top and corny as you'd like with me and I still won't fall for it."

Unsurprisingly, his smug grin returned. "Heh. And just why do you think I fell so madly in love with you, my dear?"

Her eyebrows flew upward. "Because I told you 'no' and smacked you every time you tried something stupid like that?"

"Exactly," he said, his face softening as he leaned toward her and gave her a quick kiss. "Because you were the only one who did."

Sheena chuckled, her playfulness melting into sincere happiness at the sweetness of his kiss and the loving look in his eyes as he trailed his gaze over her lips and blushing cheeks. "One of these days I'll figure out why I put up with you," she murmured. His eyes lit up wickedly and he opened his mouth to reply, but before he could burst out with his trademark _'Because I'm so sexy!'_ response, she kissed him again, longer that time, to shut him up. After a moment she pulled back and bit her lip, her heart skipping a beat at the gentle, reverent touch of his fingers skimming her cheek as he watched her, smiling softly. And finally, she sighed and sat up, admiring the beauty and, yes, _sexiness_ of the man beside her. "So what are you doing here? I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow."

Zelos shrugged and leaned back - but, Sheena noted, his smile quickly faded, reminding her of the strange expression she'd seen on his face a minute ago. "Eh, I was just missing you." He paused, his voice lowering as he looked away from her, his smile now gone. "And I needed to get out of Meltokio for awhile."

Hm...talk about an abrupt mood swing. Was something wrong? Or was she misinterpreting this? She was getting better at recognizing his moods, but he really was hard to read at times after all the years he'd spent hiding behind the Idiot Chosen mask. Quirking an eyebrow, Sheena smirked and nudged him with her elbow, hoping to reignite his playfulness. "Bored, eh? So I get to deal with you instead of Sebastian today. Lucky me."

To her surprise, though, instead of biting at that, he just glanced at her, let out a soft, humorless laugh, and looked down at his hands, his voice falling to a whisper. "Yeah, I guess so."

Her eyes narrowed as she observed him. Yes, something was definitely wrong with him. Normally he threw back something playful at such taunts; he didn't react as if he wasn't sure whether or not she wanted him there. _Time to dig a little deeper_ , she told herself. And when she remembered something he'd mentioned the last time she'd seen him, she knew how to start. "I thought you were going to visit your sister today."

Without warning, his body stiffened and his eyes darted up at her, but then he quickly looked away again, still not smiling. Uh oh. Was that the problem? A few weeks ago Seles had enrolled in the Academy, and ever since then, Zelos had been regularly dropping by the mansion he'd rented for her in Sybak to visit her. Every time he did, though, he then ended up coming to Mizuho, fuming over whatever had happened with her, to cool down. From what she could tell, the siblings' relationship was deteriorating rapidly, and while Zelos refused to say what his sister was doing that upset him so much, his mutterings about how she 'never approved of his choices' led Sheena to believe that the cause was his choice of _her_ for his girlfriend. Every time that happened, it made her heart ache. She hated coming between them, knowing everything he'd been trying to rebuild with Seles was unraveling simply because Sheena was part of his life. One of these days she'd have to talk to him about it, find out exactly what was going on, and drop by with him to see Seles. She dreaded doing so, but if it would help Zelos, she would.

He sighed, his gaze falling to his hands again. "That was the plan. But then I changed my mind. I...I didn't want to deal with that today."

 _'Didn't want to deal with'_ something, in Zelos-speak, meant he didn't think himself capable of handing it emotionally, Sheena had realized months ago. Her heart sank further. "Do you want me to come with you to talk to her?" she asked, covering his hand with hers.

He quickly shook his head and gave her a weak smile. "Nah. No reason for you to hear all the crap I do."

"Someday I probably should, though." They'd been dating five months, after all, and for all she knew, maybe that was why Seles was so upset - because he never _had_ brought his girlfriend to see her. "Maybe it would help."

"Maybe, someday," he murmured, looking away and shrugging stiffly. "But not today."

Okay, she would accept that. But still, while the situation with Seles was obviously as bad as ever, that didn't explain his current mood since he _hadn't_ seen her. So then...what? He'd said he'd needed to get out of Meltokio, but if he couldn't handle seeing Seles and had instead come here...what was going on? What was _really_ bothering him? Clearly it was _something,_ because Zelos _never_ acted like this. Upset with his sister, yes, sincerely bored at times, yes, but not _despondent_ like this.

Sheena looped her arm through his. "Okay, so why are you really here?"

Zelos's eyes widened and he turned to look at her. "Huh?"

She gave him a pointed look. "You heard me. What's really going on, Zelos? Why did you have to get out of Meltokio?"

For a moment he just blinked at her as she watched him expectantly, but finally he sighed again and looked away, his voice falling further. "It started snowing there this morning. I didn't feel like sticking around to watch it, so I thought I'd come here instead."

Snow? What was the big deal with...oh, wait. _Snow_. Zelos had the exact same problem with snow that she had with thunder and lightning thanks to their respective childhood tragedies. _Yeah, great girlfriend_ _ **you**_ _are, Sheena, not even realizing what season we're approaching and why he dreads it so much_ , she told herself, her eyes falling and her cheeks growing warm _._ "Oh."

"Or am I interrupting something?" he asked. "I can leave, if you'd rather-"

"No!" Whoops. She'd been so taken aback by his uncharacteristic suggestion that that had come out more forcefully than she'd intended. She quickly lowered her voice as his eyes widened, and then she lowered her head to his shoulder, flinching at how cold his skin was. "No, of course not, Zelos. I'm always glad to see you. You know that." Lifting her head, she offered him a gentle smile as she saw uncertainty flickering in his eyes again. Why didn't the normally arrogant bastard seem convinced of that? "I didn't have anything planned for today other than catching up on some household chores."

His eyes continued searching hers, but for what? "You sure?"

Wow, what was _with_ him today? Sure, she could understand the snow throwing him off, but what was with this uncertainty over whether or not she wanted to see him? Sure, she'd seen him insecure before, like when he'd been convinced his grandmother wouldn't be proud of him, but that hadn't been like _this_. Heck, he wasn't even trying to brush it off as 'nothing'! Seeing that snow this morning must have triggered all the other accompanying memories for him - and if he'd had to leave Meltokio to escape them, then they must have shaken him pretty badly.

Needing to quell the uncertainty in his blue eyes, Sheena cradled his face in her hands and pulled his head down to hers, giving him a long, lingering, tender kiss, her heart aching further as, even then, it still took him a moment to reciprocate the kiss, lifting a hand to her face and moving his lips against hers. Only once his body started to relax did she break the kiss and whisper against his lips, "Does that answer your question?"

And finally, _finally_ , he cracked a smile. It was still hesitant and shaky, but it was far better than the somber uncertainty she'd seen a minute ago. Trailing his fingers over her cheek, he nodded and gave her another quick kiss. "Yeah. Can't get much clearer than that."

Good. Hopefully he wouldn't doubt that anymore. Wrapping his arm around her, Zelos drew her against him, pressing his lips to her temple, and Sheena responded by resting her head on his shoulder and wrapping her arms around him, trying to warm his chilled body. Even if he didn't notice the cold himself, she did and would try to fix the problem. He still wasn't back to normal yet, seeing as he, Mr. Chatterbox, was still sitting silently, not jumping onto another subject like he normally did, but it was still better.

Of course, now that she knew what the problem was, maybe she could help him a little more. She wasn't sure if this would work or if it would backfire, but since she already knew he'd never volunteer this information on his own, if she really wanted to know, she had to ask. Considering that winter had already arrived in Meltokio - which was unusual since Meltokio usually didn't get much snow - then as his girlfriend, she needed to know this, what to expect and when. And this might very well be her best opportunity to ask.

Sheena covered his arm with her hand and lightly rubbed his bare, cold skin. "When did it happen?"

He tilted his head toward her. "When did what happen?"

"Your mother."

When he didn't answer, Sheena lifted her head to look at him, unsurprised to find his brows were furrowed. Instead of saying anything, though, she just continued watching him, wanting him to know that she really did recognize why snow held the power to set him off even years later. For a long moment, he just watched her, clearly debating whether to answer - and, she thought, maybe even a tad surprised that she'd identified the problem - but finally he sighed, his gaze falling to his knees. "A week from yesterday."

Ah, so that _did_ explain his strange, subdued, insecure demeanor; between that and this morning's snow, he must have been overwhelmed by the bad feelings those memories evoked. She probably should have anticipated this approaching anniversary and had one of Mizuho's scouts find out exactly when it was so she wouldn't have had to ask him directly, but she hadn't thought that far ahead. Even after all these months, she still had trouble at times thinking in terms of being in a serious relationship and considering things like this that could affect him. She was just glad he'd told her.

And just like that, she knew how to turn a day he dreaded into one he could maybe handle. She returned her head to his shoulder. "So what do you plan to do on that day?"

He briefly stiffened as if surprised that she cared, but then he sighed again and leaned his head against hers. "Well, usually I head to Altamira and distract myself by people watching and flirting with the scantily clad hunnies there. However, since my girlfriend would behead me if I did that this year...I'm not sure yet. I was supposed to meet with the King and the Church about the never-ending saga involving the annulment of my title, but something else came up so the King bumped it a few days. I'll probably just bury myself in my mansion and sleep the entire day."

Sheena made a mental note to ask him later how his latest meeting on the 'title annulment' thing had gone. Chances were he hadn't gotten anywhere yet. The last few meetings had all had the same outcome. The King wholeheartedly supported it, even conceding to Zelos's insistence he maintain certain powers relating to foreign relations. The church, on the other hand, still vehemently denied it, unable to believe the revelations about their religion. More than that, though, they insisted even if Martel _wasn't_ a goddess, they couldn't just get rid of their precious _Chosen_. After all, the people were counting on having a stable feature in this new, confusing world; they'd already lost the Pope and the world had doubled in size literally overnight, and losing their Chosen would push them over the edge, resulting in chaos. They had a point, Zelos had admitted, but he and the king disagreed, saying the people could handle it and that if they didn't abolish this twisted system now, then it never would be, simply because keeping it was 'more comfortable' than getting rid of it. So far, though, the Church's stance wasn't wavering, much to his growing frustration.

But she would deal with that later. Right now she had to make sure he didn't sink further into depression and spent this upcoming anniversary dwelling on his mother's final words to him. Yes, Sheena probably _would_ behead him if he went to Altamira and flirted with every woman there, but he had something different now that he'd never had before, something that would make sure he never again believed himself worthless: _her_.

"Well, _that_ definitely won't be happening." Zelos looked at her curiously as she lifted her head from his shoulder and met his eyes. "You staying in your mansion all day, that is."

He quirked an eyebrow at her. "It won't?"

Grinning, Sheena shook her head. "Nope. I'm abducting you from there the day before, dragging you out of Meltokio, and not letting you go back until at least a day or two later."

"You...are?" he ventured uncertainly.

"Yep."

His eyes narrowed as he continued watching her. "And you're doing this...why?"

"Because there's no reason for you to be alone with nothing better to do on a day like that when I'd be happy to be doing something with you instead," Sheena replied, her grin softening into a smile. "We can go anywhere you want, Zelos. Even Altamira."

He blinked at her, stunned. "You...you'd really be willing to do that?"

Agh, how many times did they have to go through this? She _loved_ him! No, normally, she wouldn't dream of going _there_ with a pervert like _him_ , but if it would get his mind off of his mother, then she'd make an exception for him. "Of course I would. If that's where you want to go, then I'm game." She pointed sharply at him. "Just so long as you don't start flirting with every woman there who's wearing a skimpy bikini."

And there, finally, was the wicked grin she'd been waiting for. It was still more subdued than normal, but it was a definite improvement from his earlier uncertainty and despondency. "Now why would I do that when I could be flirting with _you_ instead? Especially if _you_ were the one wearing the skimpy bikini..."

 _Yeah, I should've known he'd be thinking_ _ **that**_ _._ Sheena gave him a warning glare and swatted his arm. "Perverted idiot." When Zelos's only response was to look at his hands and chuckle, though, Sheena felt her nerve slip a little. While he'd responded to her playfulness, he hadn't actually given her idea a stamp of approval yet. She gave him a curious, hopeful look. "So does that sound okay?"

His eyes snapped up to hers, and his face melted into a soft, amazed smile. "That sounds perfect, sweetheart." She beamed him a happy smile, then blushed as he pressed his lips to her cheek, his breath against her ear eliciting a delicious shiver from her. "Thank you."

"Of course." Returning his smile, she gave him another quick kiss. Oh, was she glad he'd chosen to come here to get escape his depression rather than doing something self-destructive, like getting plastered at one of Meltokio's bars. And fortunately, today was open for her so she wouldn't have to send him away. But first things first: she had to finish her laundry so she could get him inside her home and warm him up. She arched a playful eyebrow at him. "In any case, if you're willing to help me finish this laundry, I'll concede to making you lunch and then taking a walk with you through the forest."

Zelos gasped and pressed a hand to his chest. "Wait, are you saying I have to _work_ to get some quality time with you?"

Sheena smirked and pointed at him, careful to keep her voice playful, not accusatory, for fear he, with his fragile mood, would take it the wrong way. "Hey, _you're_ the one who interrupted _me_. If you hadn't, I'd probably be done already!"

Thankfully, he grinned in response. "Hey, don't blame me, babe; _I_ didn't interrupt you! I was perfectly content to stand over there," he pointed at the tree he'd been leaning against earlier, "and watch you. But nooooo, _someone_ wouldn't let me do that!"

She observed him through narrowed eyes. "Because I'm feeling generous, I'm not going to respond to that." Before he could retort, Sheena grabbed the clean, wet sheets from her basket and held them up to him, arching a challenging eyebrow. "So what's the matter, tough guy? Afraid to get your pretty hands wet hanging these up on those lines over there for me?"

Zelos growled and glared at her, but then snatched the sheets from her. "Gimme those."

Heh. Just as she'd expected. She grinned smugly, trying to suppress a giggle. "You really are easy to manipulate, aren't you? Just dangle a cookie, question your manliness, and..."

"Yeah, yeah, I know, I'm a sucker for sweet things," he grumbled, making to stand - but before he did, he returned her smug grin and stole another kiss from her. "Like you."

"Whatever," she muttered, rolling her eyes and ignoring the blush once again flaring on her cheeks, but then she sighed, her face softening. "In any case, if you could hang those up for me while I finish washing this last batch and then help me carry this stuff back to my house, I'm all yours." Sheena pointed warningly at him as his eyes lit up. "And _not_ like that, you pervert!"

Zelos chuckled and rose to his feet, then headed toward the lines hanging between two nearby trees. "I'm just messin' with ya."

Fifteen minutes later they were back at her house, leaving her wash on the lines to dry, and an hour after that they'd eaten a quick lunch of chicken and rice salad, she'd located a cloak for him so _she_ didn't feel cold looking at him, and they'd headed into the forest on the promised walk. The temperature actually seemed to have dropped further since he'd arrived, bringing with it a chill she hadn't noticed before, but the sun had begun poking its head through the clouds, too. If Meltokio was getting snow now, though, chances were it would be heading for Mizuho next; ever since the reunification, Tethe'alla's winds and weather patterns had shifted, and now it seemed like anything that hit Meltokio eventually headed northeast to here rather than going directly east like it used to. Hopefully the snow would taper out as it hit the sea, but only time would tell.

Whatever the case, it would undoubtedly get cold here soon, and that meant by next week...well, while she'd never cared much for Altamira herself, the tropical weather there - which thankfully _hadn't_ changed after the reunification - would probably be a welcome relief. Besides, spending a few days there with him could actually be nice. They hadn't gone on a real vacation together yet - he'd accompanied her a few times to Iselia, but those trips had always been work related - so this would be their first. Granted, the possessive side of her was a little worried that he'd revert to the Chosen One act amongst all the bikini-clad women on the beach, but it wasn't enough to make her take back the offer. If he was already fighting off depression now, then he would certainly need the distraction then, and it wasn't like the beach was the only place they could go there to have fun.

But then, she really _wasn't_ worried about him reverting into the Idiot Chosen, either. It still boggled her mind, but after five months, he'd more than proven she could trust him to behave - at least as much as possible for someone with his flirty, playful temperament - and not hit on every girl he met. Once or twice she'd jumped to a wrong conclusion regarding his intentions when speaking to an attractive lady, which had led to a rather heated disagreement over their respective definitions of 'flirting.' In time, though, and after considerable discussion, it had blown over, Sheena realizing she'd overreacted out of (she'd been supremely embarrassed to admit it) jealousy over something innocuous he'd said, while Zelos had apologized for perhaps being _too_ friendly, sheepishly admitting that after how thoroughly engrained flirting had been in his nature, he still occasionally had trouble resisting the urge. And, most convincing of all, Sheena could tell he'd been making a concerted effort since then not to say or do anything else she could misinterpret.

That was the worst 'fight' they'd had since they'd started dating, and Sheena wasn't sure she could even call it that; 'heated argument' was more appropriate. Sure, they'd had a few instances of frustrated disagreement, usually resulting from some misunderstanding due to their cultural differences, or when she'd said something he'd taken the wrong way or vice versa, but none had gotten too bad or made her reconsider dating him. Most of that she attributed to Zelos himself. For as skilled as he'd once been at inciting her anger, he had proven to be just as skilled at diffusing it. All it usually took was a few carefully chosen words - or sometimes just a goofy smile or a playful kiss - and her anger, be it at him or at someone else, deflated. And really, she was grateful he _could_ do that, because even she knew her temper often ran away from her; knowing he could calm her was a relief.

Simply put, Zelos was proving to be impossible to stay upset at for long. He was so logical and cool-headed by nature, with his temper so hard to incite, that _he_ never got upset with _her_ , even when he disagreed with her - frustrated, yes, but not _upset_ \- and if Sheena was upset with him, he always apologized for it, whether it was his fault or not, and that, in turn, always made her feel bad and do the same, embarrassed she'd let her emotions run away from her. In fact, he almost seemed to bend over backwards at times to _avoid_ upsetting her. She wasn't sure why he would always back off, change the subject, or apologize whenever she started getting irritated with him, but she'd seen it several times now. More than that, though, whenever that happened, something in his eyes always seemed...off. It was nothing shifty that made her doubt his sincerity, but it was still strange. It almost seemed like _fear_ at times, and once or twice she could've sworn it was bordering on panic. It only lasted a moment before he shook it off and went back to normal, usually accompanied by the apology or subject change she was starting to expect at those moments, but she still noticed it. She didn't know what that was about, but she couldn't deny it - and her confusion over that alone was usually enough to disarm her anger.

Whatever it was, though, so far none of their arguments had been serious. One day she knew they _would_ get into a bad fight - every couple eventually did - but it hadn't happened yet, probably because he _was_ so rational and made such efforts to avoid upsetting her. At times she wished they _would_ fight so she had a legitimate reason to break off their relationship, but mostly she was glad they hadn't, because it meant another day she could enjoy spending with him, happy and in love. How could she complain about that?

It was only as they reached the river that she finally realized Zelos had been silent since leaving her house - which was notable for him because the man was _always_ chattering about something or other, extrovert that he was. Granted, he wasn't as extroverted as his Chosen persona made him seem to be, and every now and then when these moments of introversion arose, Sheena couldn't help wondering how much of the unrepentant extrovert was really _him_ and how much was the image the Church had _forced_ on him, but whether it was natural or artificial, he was still far more extroverted than, say, her. Seeing his brows were furrowed, her eyes narrowed. Not only hadn't he noticed she was watching him yet, but he looked completely lost in thought - which, likewise, was odd for him since _he_ was the one always reminding _her_ that over-thinking things she couldn't change wouldn't get her anywhere but depressed. And yet now, that seemed to be exactly what he was doing.

Huh. She'd really thought her offer to go with him to Altamira would have eliminated this subdued demeanor, and yet he'd fallen back into that funk. It had helped, seeing as he'd been relaxed during lunch, but clearly either the darkness was settling over him again or something else was bothering him. Regardless of the cause, she wanted to get to the bottom of it and shake this weird mood out of him. At least she knew his problem wasn't with _her_ since he wouldn't have come here to see her if it was.

Taking a step closer to him as they ambled through the forest, Sheena looped her right arm through his left. "Hey, you okay?"

"Hn?" She could feel him tense slightly as if jolted from his thoughts, but then he turned his head toward hers and kissed the top of her head. "Yeah, I'm fine, sweetheart."

"You sure? You're so quiet and distracted today. It's not like you." She lifted her head and smirked. "Usually your mouth is running away from you at a ridiculously fast rate."

Zelos let out a soft laugh and shrugged. "Eh, just the time of year, I guess. I'll be fine soon enough, and then you'll be wishing you could shut me up again."

Sheena chuckled, despite the red flag raised by his self-deprecation. That, too, was something he only did when he was upset about something. The problem was, she still wasn't sure if this was a lingering aftereffect of the snow or if it was something deeper. "Well, while I'll admit there are times I want to shut you up, this isn't one of them." She arched an eyebrow, needing him to know this. "If there's anything you want to talk about..."

He quickly nodded and offered her a faint smile. "I know. Thanks."

But despite that, Zelos fell silent again, and after a minute, Sheena sighed. So much for getting at the heart of what was bothering him. Sure, maybe it was just the season, but she couldn't be sure when he refused to discuss it. But she couldn't force him to tell her, either, because maybe he _was_ just in a bad mood - she'd certainly had her own days like that - and that left her no option but to try another tactic. She just wished she knew what to say. Honestly, she wasn't even sure how to act around him when he was like this because he so rarely was - and the few times she _had_ seen it before, he'd always quickly shaken it off himself. Okay, so maybe she needed to try another topic...

Before she could think of something, though, he sighed and cleared his throat. "So...has Lloyd stopped by yet?"

She looked sharply at him as he pulled his arm from hers and instead placed his hand to the small of her back. "Huh? Was he supposed to?"

"I'll take that as a 'no,'" Zelos murmured, then he glanced briefly at her before looking ahead again. "Yesterday afternoon he dropped by my mansion and mentioned he's planning a New Year's Eve party for the gang at his new house in Iselia, so he's going around inviting everyone. I guess he hasn't made it here yet. He'll probably show up soon."

"Really?" she said, her heart pounding faster in building excitement as he nodded curtly. After six months of not seeing anyone except him and Regal, it actually felt _surreal_ to hear from one of them again now. And then what Zelos was saying...oh, Jizou, a reunion! She'd be able to see Lloyd and Colette and their friends again! Her heart pounded faster and a broad smile lit her face, her concern over Zelos's mood overshadowed by this revelation. "Oh, that sounds perfect! I haven't seen anyone except you and Regal since that party the king threw for us, and so to get to see everyone again now..." She bit back a squeal but couldn't resist beaming excitedly. She should've known Lloyd would make sure that no matter how busy they all were, they'd still keep in touch and occasionally meet up to celebrate something fun. To know Lloyd was still thinking of them and wanted to celebrate the upcoming holiday with them... "Did Lloyd say how he's doing?"

Zelos nodded without looking at her. "Sounds like he's doing pretty well. Looks pretty healthy and happy, too. He's still out collecting Exspheres with Colette, but they're taking a break for the holidays, hence the party."

"That's exactly what I'd expect from Lloyd." She grinned excitedly again. Oh, _finally_! She would be seeing her friends again! If Zelos's words were any indication, Lloyd would be dropping by soon - maybe even today! And New Year's, to see the others, was only two weeks away! "Oh, I can't wait to see him again!" A corner of her mind was pointing out that Zelos's hand had just slipped from her back and his body was tense again, but that, too, she just attributed to his odd mood. This was too exciting to be dwelling on something so somber. She was just surprised _he_ still hadn't snapped out of it, because she knew he'd been looking forward to seeing the others again, too. Without warning, she paused as a thought struck her. "Wait, does this mean we have to get everyone presents?"

"That's generally how New Year's works," he said, his voice still surprisingly soft. His body was still tense, too. Weird. "Or at least that's how it's always worked in Tethe'alla, although he was surprised when I mentioned that tradition since Sylvarant never did that. Lloyd liked the idea, though, so...yeah, there'll be presents."

"Good thing it's still two weeks away. I need to figure out what to get everyone." Sheena grinned and turned to Zelos again, taking his arm in her hands, but he just kept looking ahead of them as they walked. "This is so exciting! It'll be so much fun to catch up with everyone, see how they're doing and what they've been up to the past six months."

He nodded curtly but still didn't look at her. "Yeah. It will."

And finally, she couldn't ignore it any longer. He was still tense, he wasn't smiling, he wasn't looking at her, and he definitely wasn't acting _enthused_ about this. Her eyes narrowed. Yeah, so he was feeling down because of the season, but these were their _friends_ they were talking about! Even disregarding her Altamira offer, why wasn't the prospect of seeing 'the gang' perking him up? And come to think of it, this was _huge_ news; why hadn't he mentioned it sooner? He'd been with her over an hour now and this was the first she was hearing about this reunion? Seriously, this was _weird_ for him.

"What's up with _you_?" Sheena said, pulling away so she could see his face better. "Don't tell me you, of all people, aren't going to this thing!"

His eyes widened as he finally looked at her again, but then he quickly grinned. "No, of course I'm going. What, me miss a party?"

His grin widened just before he looked away again, but it was painfully obvious it was one of his fake smiles; she'd seen more than enough of the real ones the past few months to recognize the difference. Her eyes narrowed further and her footsteps slowed to a stop, but even then it took him a few steps to realize she wasn't beside him and look back at her. "Okay, what's wrong?" she demanded, placing her hands on her hips.

"Huh?" he said, his eyes widening. "Who said anything's wrong?" And there, again, was that godawful, infuriating fake grin. "Everything's great!"

Yeah, right. Any chance he'd had of convincing her of _that_ had vanished when he'd given her that stupid grin. "Then why am I detecting that _you_ -" she stepped forward and poked his chest, "-aren't enthused about this reunion? I realize the snow and the time of year is getting to you, but I still never expected to see _you_ not excited over a _party_ , especially one where all of our friends are gonna be."

The fake grin faltered a little. "Hey, I'm excited, too! I'm looking forward to seeing everyone again and seeing what kind of presents they get me!"

Sheena rolled her eyes, but he was still acting too fake and over-the-top for her to accept that. He was hiding something - and, worse, _lying_ about it - and that realization suddenly pissed her off. He hadn't done that to her in _months_ ; ever since that fateful night at the king's party and that afternoon they'd admitted their feelings to each other, he'd always been extremely open and honest with her, far more so than she'd thought him capable of. The only time he'd tried 'hiding' anything from her had been that time he'd been convinced his grandmother wouldn't be proud of him, and even then, he'd never denied it like _this_ , resorting to idiocy to cover it over. So why was he suddenly starting now? What could be upsetting him so much that he was resorting to that stupid fakeness to distract _her_?

Taking a deep breath to rein in her building anger, Sheena forced herself to remember that he was already off his game because of the snow. She didn't want to start a major fight with him over this, not when he was already struggling against depression, but she'd be damned if she let him get away with hiding things from her, either - and especially _lying_ to her about it. Letting it go now would be encouraging him take this route again someday, which was simply unacceptable.

" _Zelos_ ," she said, giving him a pointed look.

He blinked at her innocently, but beneath that she could see it again - that fear, nearly panic, she only saw in his eyes when she was pissed at him or had misunderstood something he'd said. "What?"

She poked his chest again. "Something's bothering you, and you're _hiding_ it from me. Don't forget, I know all the signs; I can tell when you're trying to distract me. You know how much I hate that, and you promised you wouldn't do that anymore. So why are you doing it now? What are you hiding? And _please_ , Zelos, don't lie to me."

While his fake smile vanished, the panic in his eyes flared to a level Sheena had never seen before. For a long moment he just watched her, swallowing hard, but she just held his gaze and waited expectantly. Finally, he looked away, folded his arms to his chest, closed his eyes, and sighed. "Sheena, it's nothing. Really."

Her eyebrows rose as he looked back at her. She would think he'd just lied to her again except the fear, maybe even growing desperation, in his eyes gave her the impression he wasn't just trying to convince _her_ of that, but _himself_ , too. "Then why don't I believe you?"

His brows furrowed. "Please, Sheena, let it go. It really is nothing."

At least now she had confirmation there was an 'it' bothering him. "If 'it' really is 'nothing,' then there's no reason for you not to tell me what 'it' is that you want me to drop, right?"

His head sank downward, but then he bit his lip and looked up at her again, his face pale. "Okay, how about it's stupid, and there's no reason for us to discuss it?"

Well, that explained why he wanted her to drop it: because whatever it was, he'd deemed it 'stupid' and, therefore, not worth discussing. But 'stupid' or not, it truly _was_ bothering him, especially with such a difficult season approaching, and what kind of girlfriend would she be if she didn't try to help him with this, too?

 _Whatever you do, stay calm_ , she reminded herself, closing her eyes, taking a deep breath, and counting to five, a technique he'd once taught her to help her calm down. _Don't get upset. He's obviously afraid of something. You're not ready to break up with him yet, not when you really do want to go to Altamira with him and help him forget that tragic anniversary, so don't spook him or push him into doing something unforgivable._

"I don't believe that," she said, giving him another pointed look. "If it's enough to bother you this much, then it isn't 'nothing,' and it isn't 'stupid.' Now please, Zelos, don't do this to me. Don't shut me out. _Talk_ to me."

Zelos frowned, chewing on his lip again, and glanced away worriedly, considering that a moment before sighing and looking back at her, his eyes still pleading. "Sheena, if I tell you, you're gonna get pissed at me."

...And now she _really_ wanted to know what was bothering him. "Believe me, Zelos, I'll be even more pissed at you if you _don't_." He released a low, shaky breath and shook his head, but then he took several steps backwards and leaned back against the nearest tree, closing his eyes again. Softening at his subtle but undeniable acknowledgement that he couldn't get out of this, Sheena walked over to him, took her hands in his, and gave them a tender squeeze, offering him a faint smile as he opened his eyes and looked at her again. "Zelos, please. Whatever it is, I won't get mad. I promise."

He peered at her unhappily, his eyes sunken. His resistance was falling, she could tell, but it was still hanging on for dear life. "You really won't let this go, will you?" he asked softly.

"No, I won't." Her eyebrows flew upward. "Would _you_ let it go if it was _me_ hiding something from _you_?"

"...No," he whispered grudgingly.

Her smile broadened and she nodded. "Then there you have it."

Zelos frowned. "Have I mentioned how annoying your ninja intuition is at times?"

Sheena wasn't so sure it was _ninja intuition_ as much as it was the months she'd spent getting to know the real Zelos so well that she'd learned to detect subtle nuances like this. Regardless of the reasoning, she grinned smugly, released his hands, and folded her arms to her chest. "We're not leaving this spot until you tell me what's going on. If necessary, I'll stand right here all afternoon."

With another sigh, Zelos looked away and bit his lip again, clearly debating whether to argue further or admit defeat. _Please, Zelos, make the right choice_ , she silently begged him. And finally, he looked back at her, his eyebrows rising pointedly. "Okay, fine. Just remember, though, _you_ are the one who forced this out of me. I wasn't gonna say anything about it otherwise."

He didn't really think that would deter her, did he? "I'm waiting."

And again, he just watched her, biting his lip, but then he released a low sigh and averted his eyes. "Lloyd."

...Lloyd? _Lloyd_ was why he was so upset? What, had Lloyd said something to him yesterday? But no, that didn't make sense; Lloyd wasn't the kind to upset a friend and then just leave things like that without trying to fix it, so it had to be something else. Her eyes narrowed and she shook her head faintly. "What about Lloyd?"

Zelos was having trouble looking at her for long, she noted, his face growing red. In fact, Sheena was pretty sure she had _never_ seen him look this uncomfortable before. "When was the last time you saw him?"

"Huh?" Okay, seriously, what was going on here? What did _that_ have to do with anything? Deciding to give him the benefit of the doubt, though, she shrugged. "I dunno...that party the king threw for us, I think." Her eyes narrowed further as he still didn't look at her. "Why?"

His eyes finally darted at her again, but suddenly, without warning, he shook his head and pushed himself away from the tree. "Nothing, this is stupid."

Sheena quickly placed her hand to his chest and pushed him back, pinning him against the tree as he tried to sidestep her. Fortunately, he didn't try to fight her, but despite that, she could feel her frustration rising again, and she really didn't want it to. She took another deep breath and counted to five again, thankful for the emotional control it gave her. " _Zelos_."

Zelos growled softly, his head sinking downward, but then he sighed, nodded, and met her gaze again, his eyes wary. "You used to have a pretty big crush on him."

...Oh. _Oh_. Her face flared and her hand dropped from his chest, her gaze falling with it. Damn, so he'd noticed that. She'd certainly triedto keep that crush to herself, but she must not have done a good job of it. Embarrassed, she opened her mouth to deny it, as instinct told her to, but she quickly closed it again. Denying it would mean lying to him, and after she'd just instructed _him_ not to lie to _her_ , she couldn't do that, especially when he'd proven he could recognize her lies as easily as she could recognize his. And really, now that she thought about it, considering some of the teasing comments he'd made during their journey, pushing her to tell Lloyd how she felt, comments she'd written off as Zelos being an idiot at the time but that now appeared quite different, he knew he was right.

She scratched her neck awkwardly. "I...well...yeah, okay, maybe I did. So what?"

"So...so if you haven't seen him since we..."

Her gaze snapped up to his face as his voice trailed off...and in the blink of an eye, Sheena got it. She could scarcely believe her ears, but it was the only possible explanation. "And you think...? Wait, are you saying you think if I see Lloyd again, my 'crush' on him will come back and I'll break up with you to go chasing after him?"

He folded his arms to his chest and arched an eyebrow that would have packed far more punch if his face wasn't still so pale and his eyes still so guarded. "Like I said, it's stupid, but _you_ forced the issue."

Sheena was stunned. For a moment, she could only gape at him, but her shock quickly turned into amusement and then into amazement. This whole ridiculous situation was because _Zelos_ was worried about _that?_ Because of _Lloyd_? "You...you're _jealous_!"

Zelos shook his head and looked away again, the paleness of his face giving way to an amusing blush. "No, I'm not," he stated with pitiful certainty, then squeezed his eyes shut. "Yes, I am." Without warning, he shook his head again. "No... _no_ , I'm not." He sighed in frustration and lifted his hands in defeat. "Hell, I don't even know if I am or not."

While this clearly was bothering him, she just couldn't restrain her smile. _Zelos_ , the one who kept pointing out whenever _she_ acted jealous of the girls _he_ talked to, was jealous of someone _she_ had once had a crush on, someone she hadn't seen - nor made any _effort_ to see - in _six months_? Okay, granted, her crush on Lloyd had been pretty strong for awhile, but still, didn't everything that had happened since then mean _something_? Didn't the fact that she was here with _him_ right now speak for itself?

Biting her lip to hold back her laughter - because the only thing worse than smiling would be if he thought she was _laughing_ at him - she cleared her throat and arched an eyebrow. "Zelos, I got over that crush on Lloyd a long time ago. And that's all it was - a crush."

He nodded curtly. "I know that. I do. And I don't want you to think I don't trust you or anything, Sheena, because as possessive as I feel about you, I _do_ trust you. But no matter how hard I try to convince myself of that, it doesn't always help. I keep telling myself it's not a problem, that things are good between us, because at least _I_ think they are, but there's still this irritating, nagging voice in my head that won't shut up. I mean..."

His voice trailed off as he struggled to express his feelings, and again, Sheena had to fight back the urge to burst out laughing at the sheer _preposterousness_ of this. Of all the things she'd thought might have been upsetting him, _this_ wasn't even on her list, that a man as arrogant and confident as _Zelos Wilder_ could have these fears - and because of _Lloyd Irving_ , at that! But as mind-boggling as that was, she couldn't deny how serious he was. This really was bothering him. Whether it was just that on top of this morning's snow that was making this a bigger issue than it would've been otherwise or if his fear was really that strong, Sheena wasn't sure yet, but she was determined to keep her laughter in check, at least until he'd found the words he was looking for. And to that end, she just tilted her head and waited patiently.

Finally, he sighed and went on. "The truth is, if you haven't seen him since then, then you don't know that those... _feelings_...you once had for him aren't still waiting there and won't come back when you see him again. I mean, take it from me: feelings like those don't just go away because you don't see someone for awhile. My feelings for you never did. There's just no way to know until you see him again what'll happen."

It took all her remaining effort, but Sheena finally manage to restrain her smile - because the truth was, as amusing as it was to be on the flip side of the 'jealousy' issue for once, she _had_ once been jealous of the girls he used to flirt with, she knew how it felt, and she couldn't deny that she'd pushed the issue herself since they'd started dating. Not that she would mention that unless absolutely necessary. But she _would_ do her best to alleviate his concerns about Lloyd, because he truly had nothing to worry about.

"Zelos, I can assure you nothing will change between us when I see Lloyd again," she said. "Lloyd is in love with Colette; I accepted that a long time ago, long before our journey ended, and far longer than before you and I got involved like this."

He closed his eyes and nodded again. "I know, Sheena. I _know_. It's stupid. I shouldn't be feeling this way. I almost can't believe I am. But..."

Her eyes narrowed as his voice trailed off. "But...what?" Okay, if he recognized all of that, then this couldn't be all there was to this; there had to be more he wasn't saying yet. She grasped his hands again and gave them a gentle squeeze. "Zelos."

His eyes opened and darted briefly at her, but then he looked away again, his brows furrowing further. "It's just..."

Wow, he really _was_ bad at expressing his emotions, wasn't he? Well, not really _bad_ , once he got started; he was just extremely uncomfortable doing so - something she could relate to because she would be having a hard time in his position, too. He was clearly feeling vulnerable - probably, again, because of the encroaching season - and didn't like it and wasn't sure how to handle it. But if there was more to this than simple jealousy, then she couldn't help him unless he told her what it was.

"What?" Sheena pressed. "Zelos, whatever it is, just say it."

"It's just..." He swallowed hard as his eyes darted at her, but then he looked away again. For a moment she was afraid he would clam up again and that her patience would run thin and she'd get frustrated and wreck everything by pushing him too hard, but finally he sighed and lowered his head again, still unable to look at her. "It's just...I couldn't blame you if you did fall for him again, y'know? I mean, what does an idiot like _me_ , someone with a horrible track record for hurting you, have against someone like _him_? I know I'm not your first choice for a boyfriend, Sheena. I never have been. And if he hadn't been in love with Colette, you would've picked him over me any day. Any intelligent woman would. And that's why every single morning since we started dating, my first thought when I woke up was to wonder if that would be the day you finally came to your senses and did what you should've done a long time ago by dumping my sorry ass. And it just..." With a low sigh, Zelos closed his eyes, shook his head, and let out a self-deprecating scoff, his voice falling to the faintest of whispers. "I really am pathetic, aren't I? I've been trying so hard not to mess up this thing with you because it is, by far, the best thing that's ever happened to me, and yet here I am doing exactly that."

...Jizou and all the guardians. Her eyes widened, her lips parted, and her gut twisted as all semblance of amusement vanished. The real issue here wasn't Lloyd or her old crush on him at all; in fact, Lloyd barely had anything to do with this. No, the real problem was Zelos's own low self-esteem. He was so good at hiding it from everyone, maybe even from himself, keeping it buried beneath a mask of arrogance and narcissism, but the reality was that he had just as many issues as she did - and those issues occasionally became impossible to ignore, especially when extraneous circumstances, such as this morning's snow, forced them to the forefront of his mind.

She'd had no idea this had been bothering him so much and for so long. If she had, she would've made the depths of her feelings clear long ago. In fact, the fact that she _hadn't_ shared those feelings with him was probably one of the reasons his insecurity had gotten this bad. The truth was, though, she wasn't good at expressing such emotions, either; while 'I love you' was easy to say now, anything deeper than that left her balking, her heart refusing to place itself in such an emotionally vulnerable position. It wasn't that she didn't trust him not to overreact if she told him, not at all, but sometimes old habits and defense mechanisms died hard - which was clearly the case for him, too. By telling her this, he'd made himself vulnerable, a feeling he, too, obviously hated, especially when it was over something he'd deemed 'stupid.' No wonder he'd fought so hard to get her to drop the subject.

Now, finally, was the perfect time to tell him, to make him see how much he meant to her. But could she really do that? _Should_ she really do that? If she told him how much she loved him, that would mean crossing a line she'd so far avoided. It would mean being completely open about her feelings for him...and about the fact that _he_ was the only man she wanted in her life. It would mean telling him she was in their relationship for the long haul, that she was committed to seeing it through to the end. And once she crossed that line, she could never uncross it. It was a one-way trip. Crossing back over it after she'd told him how much she loved him, after assuring him she would never abandon him, would mean breaking his heart. Leaving him would be a thousand times more painful if she told him this than if she didn't. And if there was one thing she knew for certain, it was that the future she'd been ignoring for months, the one she dreaded but was terrified she could never run from, was still just as cloudy and problematic and _devastating_ for them as it had always been.

As far as Mizuho was concerned, after all, they had no future together. She had already committed herself to her place in her village's future, and escaping it now was impossible. And knowing that, that one day she _would_ have to leave him...could she really do this to him now? Could she cross that line and tell him how much she loved him, knowing how much worse the end result would be...knowing she would be stomping on his heart and telling him she'd lied about her feelings for him, even though _that_ would be the _real_ lie? She wasn't sure she could; the very thought of doing that to him made her feel like a heinous criminal. Could anything be crueler?

Like it or not, it was too late for 'them' to fall apart naturally. In fact, Sheena was pretty sure they no longer would unless one of them forced the issue. And really, this was the perfect opportunity to do so. In order to spare him from even more devastating future pain, she could twist around this incident, say she needed a _'real, emotionally strong man'_ who trusted her not to fall for old crushes, and use that _to_ end their relationship. It would be the right thing to do, to end this before it went further...before it was too late to salvage their hearts from the train wreck awaiting them. She would probably never get an opportunity this perfect again. It would hurt him now, sure. It would probably kill _her_ because she _did_ love him so much. But wouldn't it be so much worse later on if she _didn't_ end it now and instead committed herself to him, thus undoubtedly strengthening his love for her in return?

But how could she do _that_ to him, either? How could she tell him, minutes after she'd begged him not to lie to her, that she didn't love him or want to be with him, knowing that would be the biggest lie of all? And, more than that, how could she think of doing that _right_ _now_ , when he was already scared and embarrassed and dreading the anniversary of the worst day of his life? How could she do that after she'd just promised she wouldn't let him suffer through that horrible anniversary alone? What kind of cruel monster would _do_ that to a man she loved?

Looking at him now, seeing the raw emotion on his face as he looked away from her, clearly terrified of her response, she knew her answer: she couldn't. She loved this kind, amazing, giving, beautiful man far too much to do that to him, either. Ending their relationship by telling him she didn't love him or want to be with him anymore, while he was in this distraught state, would likely be signing his death warrant; she didn't want to think what he might do to himself. Either route would mean hurting him, ripping his heart out and tearing it to pieces, but the real question was _when_. She didn't want to hurt him at all, but one day she would. At least the future was still an unknown and could be manipulated to present a situation where it might not be _completely_ devastating; the present itself, however, was _right now_. And she just couldn't do it to him, not now, not like this. She couldn't take back her promise to go to Altamira with him, couldn't snuff out any light he had burning within him beneath this awkward mortification. She couldn't give up whatever time they still had left together. She _couldn't_. She _refused_ to, not before the future had actually been written.

And that was when the truth of what she was about to do truly hit her. She was going to cross that line. She was going to embrace whatever the future brought them. She was going to share her feelings with him and accept the consequences of her actions. If this was her last opportunity to back out of 'them,' then she was choosing not to take it. If it meant she was emotionally too weak and irresponsible to do the right thing, so be it. But she was choosing instead, for good this time, to put her faith in fate and in his own philosophy, _'Whatever will be, will be,'_ to see them through this. She would trust that the fate he'd always believed in to guide his life, the same fate that had led them to this very moment, would one day make sure things worked out as they were supposed to. She was going to believe, with all her heart, that everything that had happened between them had been for a reason, and not just to devastate them.

She refused to let fear hold her back anymore. She refused to dismiss her ideal vision of her future, the one that placed him by her side, and would instead hold onto hope that maybe, one day, fate would make it happen - maybe not exactly as she envisioned it, but in _some_ way. She refused to hold back any part of her heart from him anymore; she was going to embrace her love for this man and let her heart tell him what it knew was true. While no, she wouldn't give in to her physical desires to be with him yet, because until that idealistic future actually happened, she just _couldn't_ , she was going to embrace her emotional desire and need for him. The bottom line was that she loved him far too much to end it with him before fate had a chance to show them what it had in store for them.

Her decision was made. She was taking that step. She was committing herself to seeing this through to whatever ending awaited them, be it debilitating pain or maybe, hopefully, something better. One day she would probably regret siding with her heart, not with her head, but that day wasn't today, and she refused to take the chance that she might _never_ regret it, not when she already knew that leaving him right now, like this, was something she _would_ regret. As much as it might hurt them one day, she no longer cared. She wanted this man in her life. And only one thing now could change that: the words she never wanted to hear, that it was time for her to become chief, combined with certainty that Zelos could never accept a life with her in Mizuho. Until those two things happened, she was in this relationship with him completely. Hope and belief in them and in their love, powerful things that poets insisted could move mountains, had won this battle over fear and logic.

And that was that.

With her decision sitting comfortably in her heart, it was time. She wouldn't make him wait any longer to hear this. She would remove this crushing weight from his soul so he could breathe and live and laugh and smile again. Lifting her hand to his face, she touched his cheek, her heart aching at the pain and fear raging in his eyes as he refused to look at her, at the redness of embarrassment and vulnerability on his face. Above all else right now, she needed to be gentle with him. He was emotionally skittish, and even a single careless word could send him reeling away from her. And that, too, she refused to do.

Taking a deep breath, Sheena traced her fingers over his cheek. "Your mother really did do a number on you, didn't she?" she whispered. "You hide it so well, but deep beneath the tough guy act, you're just a scared little boy who's afraid of being abandoned by those you love again."

"Like I said, pathetic," he murmured, still stubbornly refusing to look at her.

Her heart wrenched again at his words - and at his tense, frightened expression that told her he believed that. Okay, so if she was going to do this, tell him things she would never say under other circumstances to combat the damage his mother had once done to him, she needed him to be looking at her so he knew she was being completely honest with him. With her fingers, Sheena gently guided his face toward hers. "No, Zelos, you're not. And you definitely haven't messed anything up, so don't go thinking you have."

Zelos watched her a moment, his blue eyes dark and guarded, not just protecting himself but steeling himself for what he clearly expected to hear, but then he looked away again awkwardly. Sheena bit back a sigh. She had to fix that; he was too tall and was clearly having trouble looking at her for long, and convincing him of her sincerity would be impossible without him meeting her eyes. It was time for a switch in position so he couldn't look away from her, even if he wanted to.

"Zelos, sit down," she instructed softly, lowering her hand from his face. His eyes snapped up to hers and he watched her uncertainly as she took a step backward to give him room, but he still didn't move, and after a few seconds he looked away again. _Uh uh, buddy, you're not getting away with sidestepping my instructions this time_. She arched a firm eyebrow and pointed at the ground. " _Sit_."

Still he hesitated, glancing at her before looking down again, but finally he did as asked and slid down the tree, resting his back against it. Once he was settled, Sheena stepped forward, straddling his legs, and seated herself in his lap, resting her hands on his shoulders, glad to feel that even though he was unhappy about this, his hands still went to her hips to hold her steady. There. Now their height difference was neutralized, and he'd have a harder time looking away from her.

Sheena leaned closer, forcing him to meet her gaze, and smiled gently. "First of all, I'm not going anywhere. _You_ are the man I'm in love with, not Lloyd. What I felt for him was nothing compared to what I feel for you, Zelos. _Nothing_. That was..." Her voice trailed off as she struggled to figure out what she wanted to say. Being so honest about her feelings went against her nature, but she'd be damned if she backed out now. "Lloyd is a good man. He's determined, he's loyal, he's cute and naïve, he's an amazing friend, he's able to make us see the good in ourselves, his ideals inspire everyone he meets and are probably the main reason we beat Cruxis and reunited the worlds...yeah, that's all true. Of _course_ I admired that about him. Who wouldn't? Heck, obviously you did, too, since you sided with him, even though the other side was more likely to win. Well, you probably didn't care about how cute he was, but you know what I mean."

Zelos arched an eyebrow, his face red and his eyes subdued, still clearly mortified. "Is this supposed to be making me feel better? Because if it is, it really isn't working..."

She grinned and quirked an eyebrow. "Let me finish, okay?" He sighed in response, and she accepted that as his acquiescence. "What I felt for Lloyd was no more than a hero crush. And believe me, Zelos, it's over. Now, he's a good friend. After everything we went through together, he'll always be a good friend. I wouldn't change that even if I could, and I somehow doubt you'd want me to, anyway."

"Of course not," he whispered, his eyes briefly falling to her chin.

Well, good. She was glad he wouldn't give her grief over _that_ , at least. "It's nothing more than that, though, and it never will be. Never. And do you know how I know that, that nothing will change that, that I'll never fall for him again?"

Thankfully, his eyes lifted to hers again, searching them curiously. "How?"

Smiling softly, Sheena trailed her fingers up his neck and then down his jaw, eliciting a shiver from him. "Because when I wake up in the morning, the first person I think about isn't Lloyd. I don't make up excuses to go visit him or hope he shows up here during the day. He's not the man I look forward to going out with whenever I can just so I can talk to him and touch him and kiss him and see what new thing he has planned for us. He's not the man I fall more deeply in love with every time I see him. And he's definitely not the man I see in my dreams every night." She paused emphatically, pleased to see the hope building in his eyes as he watched her, then leaned forward and gave him a tender kiss before resting her forehead against his, nuzzling his nose with hers. " _You_ are, Zelos."

He pulled back just enough that he could search her face again. "Really?"

Her smile grew shy and her heart pounded faster at his soft, amazed whisper and the sincere, endearing hope and curiosity in his eyes, unmarred by any trace of arrogance. "Yes, really. Zelos, I would be bored stiff with Lloyd, especially after being with you like this. Sure, he's a great guy, but he's just not _you_. Everything is always the same with him, and while I'm sure that's great for someone - obviously, since Colette is happy with it - it's just not what I'm looking for anymore. To be honest, I don't think it ever really was, even if it took me awhile to see that. You...you're so unpredictable. You're a thousand times sharper than him, too. You always keep me on my toes, keep me just enough off my guard to make everything you say or do a surprise I have to figure out how to react to; I never know what to expect from you next. You challenge me to keep up with you and to think differently about things, to look for other options, to consider and try things I never would've considered or tried on my own. You have so many layers to you that I'm always finding out new things about you, whereas with Lloyd, what you see is what you get.

"And I just love that about you, that you're always surprising me, that you can make the most boring, mundane things interesting, that you can come up with the craziest, most ridiculous ideas imaginable and can make me laugh and have fun. You make me happy. You make me _feel_ and _live_ and _enjoy_ _life_. You're smart, and you're sensitive, and you're handsome, and you're charming - when you're not being completely perverted, of course - and you're sweet, and you're thoughtful, and beneath the act you have one of the kindest, most giving and beautiful hearts I've ever seen." She smiled and touched his face again, amazed by the intense look in his eyes as he watched her. "Zelos, you are just as good of a man as Lloyd is, just as much of a hero, just in a different way, and that 'different way' works better for me than his ever would. You're not second best to him, not anymore - and really, the only time you ever were was before I got to know the real you and discovered what an incredible man you really are. Now _he_ is second best to _you_ \- and believe me, he's a distant second. _You_ are the only man I love and want and need in my life. The truth is, I can't imagine _not_ being with you anymore."

"Yeah?" he whispered, still watching her carefully.

Her smile broadened as she nodded. "Yeah. So don't worry about Lloyd anymore, okay? Lloyd isn't suddenly going to steal my heart away from you, and neither is anyone else. It's yours, Zelos, and with you is where it's staying."

For a long moment, Zelos just continued watching her, his gaze so intense that it left her breathless, a combination of amazement and awe and something Sheena could only identify as need and fiery _hunger_ burning in his eyes. Suddenly, though, without any warning, he released her waist and cupped her face with his hands, pulling her head to his, and kissed her so desperately that she had no choice but to moan into his mouth and surrender to him, giving him what he needed to soothe his insecurities about himself...and about the place he held in her heart. Normally when he kissed her, it was tender, and gentle, and reverent, but this kiss...this kiss was electric. It was passionate, and hungry, and needy, and far more forceful and aggressive and _possessive_ than anything else she'd ever experienced before, leaving her lightheaded at how utterly heated and demanding and _incredible_ it was. And the meaning behind it...it was telling her without words just how touched he was, just how much he loved her, just how much he wanted her...just how much he _needed_ her.

He'd kissed her heatedly before, but those times were never like _this_ , making her heart race and her head swim and sending so many tendrils of fire and pure desire through her that it made _her_ want _him_ so badly it hurt. It was only then that she realized, for the first time, just how much of himself Zelos held back when he was with her for fear things would get out of control and lead them into territory he'd promised to never force her to go - a realization that excited her and made her want to see what _else_ he held back from her. It made her want to tell him _not_ to hold back anymore so she could see just how deeply his passion for her ran. And for a moment as his hands lowered from her face to her waist and he pulled her body tighter against, leaving her no choice but to weave her hands through his hair and hold him to her, moving her mouth with his and making _him_ groan, sending another wave of heat and desire through her, she could feel her resolve to resist him slipping away. Oh, Jizou, this was overwhelming; it was making her head spin and making her want to let go and give in, just this once, to not worry about Mizuho and let them both have this one moment of pleasure they both so obviously wanted.

She'd just disentangled her hands from his long, silky hair and lowered them to his chest, the fire raging within her demanding that she find and free more skin so she could touch and feel and kiss and taste, when Zelos suddenly tore his mouth from hers, wrapped his arms around her, and crushed her to him, hugging her fiercely and burying his face in the crook of her neck, his warm breath making her body tingle. "Martel, Sheena, I love you so much," he whispered, pressing his lips to the sensitive skin below her ear. "Thank you."

Swallowing hard, the taste of his kiss lingering on her tongue and the blood still pounding through her veins, Sheena closed her eyes and took several deep, even breaths, trying to calm herself and think clearly again, then she wrapped her arms around him, sinking into his embrace. Oh, thank Jizou, not only did he believe her, but he wasn't resorting to crudeness or turning this moment into a joke. Now all she could do was hope her words had alleviated his fears. At least now she knew what kind of issues she was dealing with...and she knew how much _he_ loved _her_ and how scared he was of losing her.

And as her body began slowly cooling from that incredible kiss, at least as much as it could given their intimate position, she found herself grateful, too, that he'd broken it when he had instead of letting the moment get out of control - because considering how strong her desire had been growing, she _would_ have given in to him. And that was something that, no matter how desperately she wanted it, she would regret doing, knowing how uncertain the future for them still was - not, of course, that she thought he'd let it get that far. That particular sacrifice of his and his determination to hold to his promise was yet another reason why she loved this man so damn much.

For a moment, Sheena just held onto him, giving them both a moment to process everything, but then she finally loosened her embrace and, smiling softly, gave him a quick kiss. "I'm not going anywhere, Zelos," she said. "I promise. I love you."

Finally, he returned her smile, then rested his forehead against hers, releasing a soft laugh that she hoped meant the issue was now resolved. "Heh. Sorry 'bout that, sweetheart, getting all emotional on you like that."

Sheena smiled again and brushed his nose with hers. "Don't be. If I'd realized this was bothering you so much, I would've made my feelings clear a long time ago. And I'm sorry I didn't before this. I just...I have a hard time expressing feelings like these, too."

He laughed softly and shook his head, pressing a tender kiss to her cheek, his lips lingering there. "Nah, don't worry about it. I'm just glad to know where I stand and that I don't have to worry about Lloyd butting in on my girl anymore."

"Good." And then she realized something else she'd never told him. Lifting her head, Sheena beamed him a mischievous grin. "Besides, I had a huge crush on you long before I ever even met Lloyd, so you win, by far, in the crush department, too."

As she'd expected, his smile vanished and eyes widened in surprise. "You did?"

"Of course I did," she replied, pulling one of her hands from his back so her fingers could play with a lone lock of wavy, gorgeous red hair. "I meant it when I said every girl in Tethe'alla did, especially those my age. You were smart, and you were sexy, and you were carefree, and you were gorgeous, and...well, at least for a few weeks, you were incredibly sweet and charming to me. How could I _not_ have fallen for that?"

Also unsurprisingly, his smile slowly reappeared again, that time reflecting definite amazement. "Huh. I didn't know that."

Sheena grinned wryly. "Well, of _course_ you didn't, because soon after that you started acting like a jerk toward me, and at that point do you really think I would've told you _that_? You never would've let it go; you would've rubbed my face in it for years!"

And just like that, his smile transformed into a smirk. It was softer than normal because of how lovingly he was still observing her, but it was definitely a smirk. "As much as I hate to say this...yeah, I probably would have."

Chuckling, she gave his shoulder a playful smack. "Idiot." Before he could reply, though, she teased him with another quick kiss, then rose onto her knees and stood up. "Anyway, c'mon," she said, taking a step backward and extending her hand to him to help him up, an offer he quickly accepted. "Now that that's taken care of, we should get back. We only have two weeks before New Year's, and I have to figure out what to get everyone!"

Zelos released her hand and smoothed down his clothes, brushing off a few stray leaves and twigs. "If you want, you can come back to Meltokio with me and we can do some shopping. It sounds like the snow should only last today and then the weather's supposed to warm up for the rest of the week. Besides, I need to figure out what to get everyone, too."

She was briefly tempted to make him sweat it out a minute while he waited for her answer, now that she could hopefully tease him like that without him worrying about how she really meant it, but eh, teasing could wait until another time. Right now she wanted him to know much she loved him. "Yeah...I like that idea. Sounds like fun."

The broad, happy grin he gave her made her glad she hadn't taken the teasing route. "Then what do you say we grab the rest of your laundry, head back to your place, and start doing some brainstorming, my lady?"

Sheena chuckled again as he extended his arm to her - _'like_ _a good gentleman would toward a lovely lady,'_ he'd once insisted on describing the chivalrous action - then she looped her arm through his and rested her head against his shoulder. "Sounds good."

They fell silent as they started walking toward the spot where they'd hung her sheets, but that time the silence was comfortable now that Zelos was finally relaxed and happy again. And when he suddenly pressed a kiss to the side of her head and whispered in her ear, "Hey, Sheena?" she couldn't help smiling as she looked up at him curiously.

"Hm?"

"Thanks for not getting upset about this. It shouldn't become a problem again."

"Hey, no problem, Zelos," she said, tightening her hold on his arm and leaning further into him. "I know you would've done the same for me if our positions were reversed."

"Of course I would have." He cleared his throat, his voice resuming its normal tone. "Y'know, I can't help noticing how good you've gotten at controlling your temper the past few months."

Her eyes widened. Wow, really? "Y'think so? I mean, I have been working on it more, and your little 'cool-off trick' does wonders..."

"Yep, yep, it sure does, doesn't it? And it shows, how much effort you're putting into it." To her surprise, Zelos released her arm and lifted a finger to his lips, tilting his head and narrowing his eyes as he looked at her. "Although I can't help thinking you could _always_ use a little more practice..." Without warning, he flashed her a mischievous grin, and before she could even register his sudden transformation, he snatched the ribbon from her hair, setting it free, and then immediately raced a short ways into the forest.

Oh, great Jizou, he had _not_ just done that. Sheena growled lowly and glared at him as he darted behind a tree before looking back at her and waggling his eyebrows, his smirk just _daring_ her to come after him and get it back. And Jizou help her, but no amount of reason could stop her from accepting the challenge. "Zelos Wilder, you come back here with that this instant!" And when he burst into wicked laughter and started running again, she took up the chase and darted after him, deeper into the forest.

But the truth was, she was smiling all the while, and when she finally let herself catch him fifteen minutes later, she wasn't mad at all.

0~*~0


	2. The Reunion

**Part 2: The Reunion**

Now _this_ , Zelos had to admit, was the only way to travel: soaring through the air on a Rheaird with his gorgeous girlfriend, the wind blowing through his hair, her head pressed against his back, and her arms wrapped tightly around his waist, just enjoying the scenery far below as they flew toward Iselia for Lloyd's New Year's Eve reunion. Well, okay, so a better way _did_ exist: if their positions were reversed so _she_ was driving and _he_ was holding onto _her_. But noooo, Sheena had firmly dismissed that option, claiming that would just force her to detach his hands from his body; after all, she'd insisted, the temptation would be too great for a pervert like him, and she refused to give his hands a chance to 'accidentally' slip somewhere they didn't belong. Despite his disappointment, he couldn't help smiling at the memory of that conversation. _"Please?" "No." "Pretty please?" "No." "Pretty please with a peach on top?" "No." "So_ _ **I**_ _don't get to grope_ _ **you**_ _, but_ _ **you**_ _get to grope_ _ **me**_ _?" "Yep!"_ And the best part had been the bright, cheeky grin that had accompanied it.

Really, though, it wasn't a big deal. They didn't use the Rheairds much to travel anymore - while Yuan was still letting them use them, they'd all agreed to limit their usage to prevent pointless mana consumption - and so having an excuse to fly on one at all was a treat. And he certainly couldn't complain about being in the driver's seat, able to control the speed and the altitude and show off a few moves that, to his delight, made Sheena hold onto him even tighter. In any case, while it was cold up here, and he suspected the view would be nicer if the sky wasn't marred by the sight of another Rheaird in the distance - Regal, judging from the blue hair - he was still enjoying the ride, and the sighs he heard from his companion whenever she snuggled further into him, absorbing his warmth to counter the cold, indicated she wasn't minding it either.

This was actually the second time in a week that he'd been able to enjoy this. During their journey, Sheena had refused to share a Rheaird with him at all (which he supposed had been warranted, because back then, he probably _would_ have done something stupid), but now clearly that, too, had changed. But then, Zelos was just glad she was willing to travel with him at all, because between their trip to Altamira a few days ago and now this, he was getting very attached to it.

Not that he could blame her for erring on the side of caution with his hands, especially after the trouble he'd had in Altamira just keeping his eyes off of her. He was still amazed that she'd offered to go there with him, that she was still with him at _all_ after his embarrassing emotional meltdown - a meltdown she had managed to turn into one of the most incredible moments of his life - and he'd occasionally had to stare at her just to make sure he wasn't dreaming or hallucinating. Topping that off, though, was the oh-so-revealing little black and pink bikini she'd agreed to wear during their four days there. Needless to say, he'd been utterly shocked when she'd let him pick out a new bikini for her, with surprisingly little pushing on his part, while looking for a new, more _modest_ swimsuit for him. (Because to quote Sheena about the one that mother in Altamira - a _'lust-crazed hunny in disguise,_ ' she'd declared - had given him, " _If I ever see that_ _ **thing**_ _again, I'm gonna summon Efreet and incinerate it and the guy wearing it at the time. Actually, I don't even want to take the chance it'll rear its hideous purple head again, so just burn it already. Seriously, Zelos, shoot a fireball at it. I'm not going_ _ **anywhere**_ _with you until it's gone for good and we've gotten you one that doesn't look like attire for a male stripper."_ He'd whined and called her 'bossy' but had done so anyway, because he really hadn't wanted to make her regret coming with him.)

What had shocked him even more than her letting him buy her the skimpy thing, though, was that she'd actually _worn_ it. And oh, how radiant she'd looked sitting there on a reclining chair by the water, a tropical drink in hand, soaking up the sun and enjoying being out of cold, dreary Mizuho, showing off more beautiful, flawless, toned, gleaming skin than he'd seen since that one accidental peek he'd had of her in the shower that had set off his infatuation with her. How could he _not_ have stared at her? Hell, if she hadn't agreed to wear the 'couple anklet' that matched his own - an item Altamira loaned out to couples to indicate someone was 'taken' so single people knew who was and was not available - Zelos knew every guy in the city would've been hitting on her. As it was, even with the anklet, she'd still been the object of numerous guys' glances, and a few had even ignored the anklet altogether and winked lecherously at her or tried to flirt with or, in two cases, _touch_ her, to which she'd just pointed at the anklet, arched an eyebrow, and threatened to report them for harassment unless they immediately left her alone.

And yet, to his astonishment, not only had she agreed to _wear_ that bikini, but she'd actually given him permission to _stare_ at her while she was wearing it. Well, sort of.

" _So, let me get this straight_ ," he'd said upon catching her staring at his bare chest while they'd been settling into their chairs on the beach only to insist _he_ quit staring at _her_. " _You agree to wear_ _ **that**_ _teensy little number for me, and yet you won't even let me_ _ **stare**_ _at you while you're wearing it_?"

" _Yep, that's what I said_ ," she'd stated matter of factly.

" _And yet_ _ **you**_ _get to stare at_ _ **me**_ _\- not that I mind if you do, babe, just so you know_?"

" _Yeah, so? What's your point_?"

" _So...how is_ _ **that**_ _fair_?"

She'd blinked at him innocently, albeit with a faint smirk toying on her lips. " _I dunno, it looks fair from where I'm sitting._ _ **I**_ _don't have any problems with this arrangement_."

" _That's easy for_ _ **you**_ _to say_!" he'd countered. " _ **You're**_ _not the one who has to try to keep your eyes off of_ _ **you**_ _looking like_ _ **that**_!"

Her eyebrows had risen in amusement. " _Guess you should've thought of that_ _before you bought me this swimsuit, eh_?"

" _Ugh, you're trying to kill me, aren't you_?" he'd muttered, shaking his head

The woman had had the gall to _bat her eyelashes_ at him. " _Is it working_?"

Zelos had glared at her. " _You have_ _ **no**_ _idea, you impossibly sexy little vixen-slash-sea goddess. And seriously, what have I told you about teasing me, huh_?"

Sheena had sighed and rolled her eyes, but then she'd reached down to her side, pulled a small box from her bag, and handed it to him. " _All right,_ _ **fine**_ _. If you're gonna insist on staring at me, at least wear these so I don't have to see it_." Opening up the box, Zelos had burst out laughing at finding a pair of rather stylish sunglasses inside. " _I distinctly remember that being_ _ **your**_ _silly rule about staring at me, right_?"

He'd slipped on the glasses, grinned broadly, and leaned back in his seat, folding his arms behind his head, safe in the knowledge that she could no longer see him admiring her oh-so-voluptuous body. " _Heh. I think I can handle this_."

" _Yeah, thought you might_ ," she'd muttered, casting another mock-annoyed glare at him that the smile on her lips had rendered completely ineffective.

Zelos had beamed her a happy grin. " _Have I mentioned lately just how much I love you_?"

" _You'd better, because I wouldn't be caught dead doing this for anyone else._ "

And that had been the moment it had hit him: she really had done all of that for _him_ , because she knew it was his personal worst-day-of-the-year and wanted to make it more bearable for him. Going to Altamira with him, letting him pick out a swimsuit for her, actually wearing it, letting him stare at her, and then even letting him rub oil on her body and returning the favor...all of it went against her nature, and he knew she truly _wouldn't_ have done any of that if she didn't love him. Heck, she'd probably agreed to the bikini not just because she'd known it would keep his eyes solely on her and off any other woman on the beach ( _'As if you have_ _ **anything**_ _to worry about, considering you have_ _ **the**_ _best body I've ever seen,'_ he'd wanted to tell her, but he'd bitten his tongue, not wanting to point out the jealousy angle only a week after his own lapse into jealousy), but because she'd known he would like it, it would distract him, and it would give him something to focus on rather than dwelling on what day it was. And oh, did he feel loved knowing she _was_ willing to do that for him - and that was he the only one she ever _would_ do that for.

After a moment, Sheena had pointed sharply at him and given him an expectant look. " _Oh, and just for this, you owe me_."

" _What did you have in mind_?" he'd replied, suddenly eager to hear what _she_ wanted.

" _I'm declaring tomorrow to be a beach-free day_." Her assertive bossiness had faltered then, and he'd been sure she'd blushed as he'd arched an eyebrow and lowered his head so he could see her over the rim of his glasses, telling her to go on. " _From what I've heard, the Lezareno company puts up a lot of holiday decorations in the amusement park during New Year's week, and I...I'd like to go see them while we're here_."

 _'A lot of holiday decorations'_ had been an understatement, they'd discovered the next day. The New Year's holiday week had always been a huge tourist draw in Altamira, so the city had been more festive than usual, even hosting fireworks every night (which they'd thankfully been able to enjoy from the balcony of their luxurious room on the hotel's top floor - and oh, did Zelos now have some lovely memories of standing there with Sheena in his arms as they'd watched the display), but they hadn't known that until they'd gotten there. Not that he'd been opposed to finding out for himself; he'd gone to Altamira every year during that week since he'd been a teen, and yet the amusement park was one place he'd never been able to convince himself to go when he didn't have a date he actually wanted to spend time with. This time, though, he truly had been looking forward to going there with her.

" _I think I can handle that, too_ ," he'd said. " _But can we come back here the day after that?"_

" _We'll see_ ," Sheena had said, rolling her eyes again, but the twinkle in them had told him her answer. And sure enough, they had.

The trip had been amazing. It had distracted him so effectively that he'd actually forgotten why they were there - and as a result, he would now always have something beautiful to remember that otherwise awful day by. If he was lucky, maybe it would even become a yearly trip for them. He just couldn't stop marveling over it all. Sheena loved _him_. She'd meant what she'd said that afternoon in the forest; she truly wasn't going anywhere. She was certain about them, about _him_. He couldn't deny it anymore; he couldn't be afraid he was misinterpreting things anymore. Her words had been breathtakingly clear. He may be an idiot, but he was _her_ idiot, and he now knew, without a doubt, that she wouldn't trade him for anyone, not even Lloyd. It was unbelievable.

Zelos was so deeply grateful to her that he suspected nothing he said could ever capture it. And her words, combined with her willingness to do something for him that she'd never do for anyone else, just reinforced how much she loved him. How could he _not_ have stared at her, not just in lust (although that was there, too), but in amazement and humbling honor? Seriously, the love he'd thought he felt for her before was eclipsed by what he now did; that afternoon when she had eradicated his lingering fears and insecurities had made him fall hopelessly, irrevocably in love with her, a love a thousand times deeper than he'd ever imagined himself capable of experiencing.

It was amazing...and terrifying. And one thing he could already tell was that it would make the already difficult decision he had to face tomorrow, when his self-imposed deadline came due, one he'd sworn that, for Sheena's sake, he wouldn't postpone, that much more difficult to make. If the past two weeks hadn't happened, it probably would have been easy. But they _had_ happened - and in the process, he suspected Sheena had just completely flipped what he'd expected his answer to be on its head, without even meaning to or realizing she'd done so. Chances were there wasn't even any question left in his mind about it - which then opened a whole new can of worms that he'd need to start considering.

But that decision wasn't official yet, and he could worry about all of that tomorrow, when the deadline came due. Right now he just wanted to enjoy today. Or maybe just worry about getting _through_ it, seeing as he still hadn't figured out if he was excited to be seeing everyone again or nervous because he wasn't sure how to handle it. And besides, he could see the mountains near Iselia approaching, meaning they'd almost reached their destination. Time to see if his companion had noticed it as well and, if not, to point it out to her.

"You still awake back there, sweetheart?" he asked, turning his head to he could see her from the corner of his eye.

"Mm hmm," she murmured.

Zelos couldn't help grinning. She even _sounded_ half asleep. "Well, we're almost there."

Her head lifted from his back. "Already? But it's so comfy back here." And then, to his pleasure, her arms tightened around him and she returned her head to his back again.

Opting to keep the moment light, because they'd had more than enough heavy moments lately, he snorted softly. "Comfy for _you_ , maybe. _I'm_ the one who has to deal with this icy wind constantly whipping my lovely locks in my beautiful face."

"You're an angel," she stated, and he could almost see her rolling her eyes as she pointed that out. "You're the one who said cold temperatures don't bother you anymore."

He tilted his head slightly. "Well...yeah, they don't."

"Which makes you my perfect wind shield."

Zelos chuckled - oh, how he loved this woman - but then he sighed showily. "Oh, all right, I suppose I can provide that service for you this once, my lady. But _only_ for you."

Sheena snuggled further into him, her grin obvious in her voice. "Mm...I feel so special."

"That's because you are." Because _that_ was as obvious to him as the sky was blue.

Unsurprisingly, that caught her off guard, and she briefly hesitated before murmuring a warm, fond, "Idiot." He grinned as she settled against him again - _oh, don't I know it, Sheena_ \- but then, after a moment, she spoke again, her voice so soft that if not for his angel senses, he never would have heard her over the hum of the Rheaird. "Hey, Zelos?"

He turned his head slightly toward her. "Hm?"

"I was thinking, and...maybe we shouldn't exchange our gifts tonight," she said slowly. "What I got you is...well, it's a little personal in nature."

Despite his sudden flare of childish eagerness to see what it was, he couldn't resist smirking and saying something stupid. "Let me guess, edible body paints, right?"

Sheena snorted and smacked his back. "That's it _exactly_. I got you _edible body paints_."

"Just as I thought," he quipped, but then he quickly sobered, realizing what she was saying. "You want to wait until tomorrow, when we get back to Meltokio and have some privacy?"

"I...I like that idea better. Or if we get a chance here, when no one's around. I mean, I have your present with me, but I...I'm not sure I'd be comfortable with everyone seeing it. It would, um, kinda raise a lot of questions."

As curious as he was...well, his gift for her would raise just as many questions. And honestly, as happy as he was with what he'd decided to get her and as confident as he was that she would like it, another part of him cringed at the thought of having everyone watching in case she _didn't_ like it, or if she deemed it too much or rejected it. If she _did_ react like that, then he didn't want an audience for this, either.

Zelos shrugged. "That's fine with me. Yours...really is pretty personal in nature, too."

She set her chin on his shoulder. "There isn't any way for us to exchange gifts here without everyone finding out about us, is there?"

"Eh...no, probably not."

Picturing what he'd gotten her, he compared it to what he'd gotten the others - but there was no comparison. What he'd gotten Sheena was a hundred times more personal and expensive than his gifts for them. And while they'd discussed what to tell their friends if they ever saw them after running into Regal at the princess's birthday party, tonight was different. _Everyone_ would be here, and while they'd decided to announce their relationship on a _one-on-one_ basis, they'd never decided what to do in a group situation. And since Zelos suspected certain people probably wouldn't be as receptive of this as Regal had been, it would probably be a good idea to have that conversation again now.

"So what do you think?" he asked. "Should we tell everyone we're dating?"

Sheena considered that a moment, but then she tilted her head so it was leaning against his. "Part of me wants to. I mean, they're our _friends_. I don't like keeping something this huge from them; I _want_ to be able to share this with them. But this is supposed to be a fun night, too, and I'm just not sure telling everyone at once is a good idea. I have a hunch certain people's questions could lead to an Orochi-like interrogation."

"Raine," he stated, recognizing what she was talking about. "Genis too, maybe."

"Yeah. I'm sure Raine still has issues with you after you betrayed us, because she's even less trusting than you are. And Genis, well..."

"He's a brat and has never really liked me, and to be honest, I've never really liked him, either," Zelos replied. "Need I say more?"

"No, not really," she murmured. "And I just...I'm not sure I feel like dealing with that _tonight_ when we're supposed to be having fun. If we could tell them individually instead of announcing it to everyone at once, then I'd say we should do it, but with everyone there, I doubt that'll be possible. And telling them all at once...I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that."

On one hand, hearing her say that was a relief. He didn't feel like dealing with the teasing and the questions probing their sanity, either. On the other hand, though, he couldn't help thinking a number of difficulties would arise from their _not_ announcing it. Well, maybe not for _her,_ but definitely for _him._ But then, if this was what Sheena wanted and would feel most comfortable with, he would put up with those discomforts.

"I hear ya, sweetheart," he said. "While I don't care if they know about us, I'm not exactly enthused about all the questions that would come with it. And I don't want _you_ to feel uncomfortable tonight, so if you don't want to say anything, we won't. Keep in mind, though, it's possible we won't have a choice. Regal won't tell anyone, but they _could_ figure it out for themselves. Or it's possible one of them has heard rumors about us. I mean, I am a celebrity, and it's not like we've been hiding from the public."

"I know. Like I said, I really don't care if they know about us, but making an announcement would be...weird."

"No kidding." He fell silent a moment, considering their options. "Okay, so how 'bout this: if they ask us pointblank if we're dating, we'll tell them. I mean, I couldn't deny being in love with you if my life depended on it. But we won't volunteer that information or make it obvious in how we treat each other, either. How does that sound?"

She nodded. "I think that would work."

Zelos grinned as he began descending the Rheaird toward Iselia. "Actually, this could be kinda fun. Y'know, see how long it takes them to figure it out - or if they even do."

She shook her head faintly, but he could tell she was grinning, too. "You have _the_ weirdest definition of 'fun.' I guess we'll just have to see how things go."

"Yeah, we will."

And then he was landing the Rheaird near Lloyd's new house on the outskirts of Iselia, sending up a cloud of snow in the process. _Looks like they got this damn white stuff here, too_ , Zelos thought wryly, then he shoved that thought from his mind and focused instead on the "Nice landing" compliment his companion gave him as she lithely jumped off the Rheaird. Sheena grabbed her bag as he shut off the Rheaird, then she waited for him to likewise hop off and grab his bag. Once the wing pack had folded up, she grinned at him, her cheeks delightfully rosy from the cold - a grin Zelos was helpless but to return - and they headed toward Lloyd's house, a wooden structure that resembled Sheena's house, only with a second floor and surrounded by snow-dusted pine trees. Dirk had apparently just finished building this place for Lloyd, claiming the regeneration journey had proven he was old enough to take care of himself now. The location was perfect for him, just outside Iselia near the forest leading to Dirk's house, so he could visit the village anytime he wanted while still being close to Dirk's place. It was nice, Zelos had to admit as they approached it, and he was suddenly curious to see its interior.

It was only late afternoon, but the sky was already darkening, and all the house lights were on, giving it a warm, inviting glow. Seeing numerous sets of footprints in the snow leading to the main door, Zelos deduced the others were already here. He was just about to ask Sheena if she thought one of them should wait a minute before making their appearance to make it 'less obvious' they'd come together when the issue became a moot point as he saw the man standing at the front door, looking back at them and grinning.

"Regal," Sheena said, grinning and quickening her pace forward as he headed back toward them.

"Sheena," Regal greeted her, returning the quick hug she gave him, and then offering Zelos his hand. "Chosen. I thought I had seen another Rheaird trailing mine."

Zelos returned his grin and gave his hand a firm shake. "Yeah, I noticed yours ahead of us, too. Good to see you again, Regal."

"You two as well," Regal replied, releasing his hand. "I'm glad you both could make it. Lloyd mentioned when he dropped by Altamira last week that he wasn't sure you would get the message he'd left for you in Mizuho, Sheena. I assured him that even if the scout he spoke with didn't deliver the message to you, you would find out about the party somehow."

Heh. Zelos's grin broadened. It had been completely unintentional, but Sheena hadn't been in Mizuho when Lloyd had dropped by to deliver his invitation. In fact, it had actually been the day Zelos had told her about the party himself when Lloyd had finally made it there, after they'd already left for Meltokio to start shopping. Zelos knew Sheena had been disappointed not to see him, but since she'd suspected that would happen before they'd even left Mizuho that day, she obviously hadn't been _too_ disappointed or she would've waited longer to see if he showed up. Just another thing that had proved to Zelos he really didn't have anything to worry about anymore when it came to Sheena's old crush.

"Yeah, I was sorry I missed seeing him," Sheena said, but then she grinned again and motioned at Zelos with her thumb. "But this guy here had already told me about it by the time Lloyd showed up, so it didn't matter."

"I figured as much," Regal replied. His eyebrows rose as he eyed them both, a smile still toying on his lips. "So you two are still...?"

Zelos gave Sheena a soft, happy smile that she returned. "Yep, we sure are."

"Unbelievable, huh?" Sheena added.

Regal chuckled and tilted his head in acknowledgement. "Quite. However, I truly am glad to hear that." He motioned back at Lloyd's house. "Do they know yet?"

Sheena shook her head. "No...or at least not that we're aware. So far you're the only one we've told."

"And for the moment, we're planning on keeping it that way," Zelos added.

"Or maybe we should say we're not planning on _announcing_ it tonight," Sheena said.

"I understand," Regal replied, bowing his head. "And again, rest assured your secret is safe with me. Revelations of that nature should be your choice, not an outsider's."

Sheena smiled. "Thanks again for your discretion. We really do appreciate it."

"Of course." He motioned at the house. "Then shall we join our friends?"

They nodded, and the three resumed walking toward the door. "So _you've_ obviously been busy lately," Zelos commented. "We were in Altamira for a few days earlier in the week and dropped by to say 'hi' and tell you how much we liked the holiday fireworks and decorations, but your secretary insisted you were in meetings the entire time."

Regal groaned. "Believe me, Chosen, I would much rather have been visiting with old friends. Unfortunately, as President, there are a few meetings I cannot sneak out of - and in this case it was our annual meeting summarizing the current state of our holiday sales and a rather tedious analysis of which products were selling well and which were not."

"We were disappointed, but we figured it had to be something like that," Sheena said.

"This party is a welcome relief from the Lezareno Company's annual New Year's party, which was held yesterday," Regal said. "Too much glitz and glamour to impress company partners; not enough friends and fun. Now that I know how stuffy those parties have become during my absence, I will have to change that. As it was, I was extremely grateful for this party today so I had a legitimate reason to turn down all the invitations to private parties being held by my corporate officers."

Zelos nodded, chuckling grimly. "Heh. Yeah, I can appreciate that. For years I've always received more invitations from my hunnies than I could ever handle actually attending, and all of those were the same way - overly glitzy, yet with no substance. Between Sheena and this party, you have no idea how great it was to have a reason to say 'no' to them all."

Regal eyed him curiously, and Zelos's footsteps slowed as he realized _why_ \- because that really did sound atypical coming from him. Whoops. Thanks to all the time he'd been spending with Sheena and all the walls he was now used to lowering when with her, he'd forgotten those walls were still down - and that Regal would notice it. He...wasn't sure he was comfortable with that. But before he could say something stupid like he normally would - or decide if he even _wanted_ to say something stupid like he normally would - the front door suddenly flew open, and next he knew, Colette was rushing toward them.

"Oh my gosh, Regal! Zelos! Sheena!" She tackled Regal and gave him a hug, then quickly did the same to Zelos, and then to Sheena. "Oh, it's so wonderful to see you guys again!"

Before they could even respond, Lloyd appeared at the door, beaming them all big, excited, welcoming grins. "Hey, guys! I'm glad you could make it!"

In the blink of an eye, the three were whisked inside. Everyone else had already arrived, and preparations for supper were well underway - and the minute the others noticed them, all the smiles, hugs, and laughs commenced. Zelos was surprised how many memories came rushing back now that they were all together again, of all the good times, the bad times, the laughter, the tears, the struggles, the battles, and the victories they'd shared...it really was astounding not only how much they had accomplished together, but how much he'd forgotten in the past six months. As fantastic as the rush of memories was, though, it was almost overwhelming, too, and every now and then Zelos had to glance at Sheena to ground himself and remember that the past six months truly had happened.

It was obvious everyone was sincerely happy to be together again. Some had, unsurprisingly, visibly changed since he'd last seen them. Presea had finally started growing again, and Zelos was positive she was at least an inch taller; hopefully she would eventually reach the height she _should_ be now without a parasitic Cruxis Crystal stunting her growth. Genis insisted he _was_ taller, but Zelos couldn't tell the difference; as far as he was concerned, Genis was still a short little twerp. Regal was decked out in new clothes, far more casual than the suit he'd worn to the princess's birthday party, but still of higher quality, something Zelos expected from a company president. Raine's hair was longer, but she had thankfully ditched her drab brown and orange outfit for a lovely dark teal one, thanks to one of her kitchen experiments blowing up and staining her old one.

Lloyd and Colette, on the other hand, hadn't changed a bit. They'd also quickly proven they hadn't gotten a clue yet, either, seeing as they'd immediately begun arguing over the hangers in his closet - or, more appropriately, the lack thereof, since Lloyd only had five hangers and had forgotten to get more for the party. He wanted to get started making some right away, while Colette insisted she should run out and buy some (never mind that no store would be open on New Year's Eve), and thus had begun a five-minute discussion over what to do with Regal's, Sheena's, and Zelos's coats. Finally, Regal had ended the silly yet amusing argument by insisting they should just lay the extra coats on Lloyd's bed.

Lloyd and Colette had proceeded to show them around the house, a tour that had ended in his bedroom.

" _And this is my bedroom_ ," Lloyd had announced, motioning around the room.

Zelos, despite his best efforts, just hadn't been able to help himself. Sheena was lingering behind in the hallway, looking at a painting Colette had made of Luin, and being with the rest of the gang without her there just brought out the idiot in him, it seemed. " _Heh. First time having a girl in here, eh_?"

Lloyd had blinked at him uncomprehendingly. " _No, Colette's been in here loads of times!_ "

" _Reaaaallllly_ ," Zelos had drawled, tilting his head, amused. " _Colette, is that right_?"

" _Yep! I've been helping him decorate_!"

"' _Decorate,' eh? Is that what you kids are calling it nowadays_?" As he'd expected, they'd just blinked at him again. They were so cute. And young. And clueless. " _Y'know, Lloyd, I'm impressed. That sure didn't take you long, did it?_ "

" _Take me long to...what_?" Lloyd had ventured.

" _You know_." And yet again, neither had gotten it. From the corner of his eye, Zelos had noted Regal rolling his eyes and, after tossing his coat on the bed and telling Lloyd how much he liked what they'd done to the room, heading out. " _So have you broken in the bed yet, or are you..._ _ **ow**_!" The smack to his arm had come so quickly that he hadn't been able to react in time, and he'd quickly gave the smacker a sheepish smile as she'd stopped beside him, her arms folded to her chest, and arched an eyebrow at him. " _Heh...Sheena. Didn't see you there. I thought you were out in the hallway doing...something or other_."

" _Idiot_ ," she'd murmured, shaking her head in amused disgust and giving him a mild glare as she'd tossed her coat on the bed beside Regal's. " _If I were you, I'd reconsider finishing that perverted thought of yours_."

He'd nodded curtly, taking the hint. _"Y'know, I think I'm gonna reconsider finishing that perverted thought of mine_."

" _Good choice,_ " she'd replied, flashing him a knowing smile and playfully patting his back.

Lloyd had showed off a few things in his room, with Colette pointing out how 'cute' the things she'd helped him pick out were, but they'd been quickly dragged back downstairs as Genis began whining that all the food he and Colette had slaved over was getting cold. Fortunately, Lloyd's table was big enough for all of them (" _I made this myself_!" he'd declared with a big grin), and they'd quickly picked their seats, with Zelos choosing a spot away from Sheena - not far, but enough that they wouldn't look 'obvious.' Colette and Raine each took one end of the rectangular table, with Sheena and Presea taking the middle seats on each respective long edge, and the guys all situated themselves between them, with Zelos picking the corner between Colette and Presea so he had a good view of Sheena, Genis sitting between Presea ( _naturally, he's still obsessed with her, and yet she still pays him no heed,_ Zelos had mentally chuckled) and Raine, Lloyd sitting opposite Zelos between Sheena and Colette, and Regal taking the corner between Raine and Sheena.

Zelos had had a momentary, albeit obnoxiously instinctive, moment of panic as he'd realized Lloyd was sitting right next to Sheena, but he'd quickly calmed himself. There was no need for it, after all, since her reactions to Lloyd since they'd arrived were nothing beyond friends excitedly catching up, and Zelos couldn't forget the moment before they'd sat down when no one had been looking and she'd squeezed his arm and given him a warm, reassuring smile. Besides, he would've had to be blind not to notice Lloyd's attention was focused solely on Colette. Zelos had been keeping an eye on those two since they'd arrived, trying to figure out if they, too, had become a 'couple' the past six months, but all the signs pointed to them not being one. Not, of course, that their love for each other wasn't completely obvious to anyone who saw them.

Everyone quickly fell back into their regular patterns as they ate, catching up on what everyone had been up to - Presea's efforts to organize the rebuilding of Ozette, Lloyd and Colette's journey to find Exspheres, Regal's adventures with his company, Genis and Raine's work to promote the acceptance of half-elves - but for some reason, Zelos found himself struggling to fall back into his old rapport with them. It was weird; everyone else had clicked right back into place with each other, and yet he felt like a square peg trying to fit into a round hole. For the first time since he'd met these people, he had no idea how to act with them. Falling back into his 'regular pattern' would mean hitting on the girls, making stupid, inappropriate comments, being a narcissistic jerk, teasing everyone, acting like a goofball, and doing whatever he could to keep them all off guard. Before tonight, he hadn't had to reconsider any of that, since outside of Sheena and Regal, he'd barely seen any of them. But now...acting stupid with them was habit, but did he _want_ to act like that?

The problem, he suspected, was that he'd never figured out how he wanted these people to view him. Now that he no longer needed to act like an idiot to manipulate them into seeing him as harmless idiot while covering his trail as a spy, did he want to go on being seen that way? It was _comfortable_ to act like that with them, but was it what he _wanted_? He wasn't sure. And even if he _didn't_ want that anymore, if he wanted them to see he _did_ possess a brain and wasn't a completely hopeless idiot...he wasn't sure how to _be_ that person with them. After the months he'd spent convincing them he was someone he wasn't, they all held certain expectations of him, and he didn't know how to change those expectations without 'acting out of character,' which would result in them making a huge deal out of it. Or, worse, would they assume he was joking, roll their eyes, and _still_ dismiss him as a harmless idiot, all efforts to the contrary be damned? He didn't know, and honestly, he wasn't sure he wanted to find out.

And surprisingly, the most disarming thing was actually the last one he'd expected: Sheena herself. He could tell she was having a great time, smiling, laughing, listening to everyone's stories and telling stories of her own...and yet Zelos was afraid to say anything while she was there. After all, the last thing he wanted to do was piss her off and disappoint her by saying anything 'normal' and, therefore, 'idiotic' that required reverting back into his 'old self,' something he'd promised her he wouldn't do around her anymore. While he wasn't sure yet that he cared what everyone else thought about him - although he had to admit, he really _would_ like their respect - he _did_ care about what _she_ thought of him, especially if lowering her opinion of him meant risking the bliss he'd found with her.

And that, he suspected, was why part of him wished he and Sheena _could_ announce their relationship to everyone: because if Sheena made it clear she accepted him, then maybe he couldact more naturally tonight and the others would follow her lead and not overreact to it. But he also understood why she didn't feel comfortable doing so, and the other part of him agreed with her reasoning, and so he wouldn't push. Not telling them, though, was just making conversing with these people ridiculously _awkward_ as he struggled to determine which route to take. And what made the situation even worse was that since they'd started eating an hour ago, no one had come right out and asked what _he_ had been up to lately, most likely because they didn't figure a 'lazy bum' like him had been up to anything. Or, just as likely, they simply didn't care. So instead of volunteering anything about himself, he just ate the delicious dinner Genis and Colette had cooked, listened to the others discuss their new lives, dropped an occasional comment when he was sure he could say something innocuous that wouldn't result in any questioning of his sanity, and pondered what the hell he was doing there with those people.

It was around the time everyone finished their first helping of food - Zelos having finished fifteen minutes ago thanks to the fact that, unlike everyone else, he'd been doing far more eating than talking - when he noticed Sheena watching him, her eyes narrowed. He offered her a faint smile, which seemed to appease her, for she relaxed and was sucked back into Lloyd's description of how Aisha, Harley, and Linar were doing in Asgard. A few minutes later, though, he caught her watching him again, and that time a smile _didn't_ appease her, and if it hadn't been for something Colette had said, Zelos suspected she would have pushed the issue. And then, while Genis was describing some of the crazy intellectuals he'd met during his month-long stint in Sybak, she _did_ push the issue, looking back at Zelos and mouthing, _'Are you okay?'_ His eyes briefly widened, but then he smiled and nodded - which her narrowed eyes told him she didn't believe. Fortunately, before she could push further, Raine asked about the time Sheena had spent at the Research Academy ( _never mind that I spent far more time there than Sheena, and yet no one is asking_ _ **me**_ _about it_ , he thought wryly, albeit not volunteering that information for fear of being 'narcissistic' again), thus leaving her no choice but to answer the question.

Finally, when the conversation turned to Colette and how her life had changed as the Chosen and still nobody bothered to ask how _his_ life had changed as Tethe'alla's Chosen, Zelos couldn't take it anymore. Rising to his feet, he muttered, "Excuse me," and headed into the kitchen, unsurprised to hear Lloyd comment, "What's with _him_?" as the door closed behind him. Once there, he leaned back against the counter, folded his arms to his chest, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. Okay, this wasn't working. He had to figure out what he was doing. He couldn't keep this up the rest of the night, not unless he wanted to be miserable, which he didn't; he _liked_ these people and wanted to have fun with them like he used to, something that just wasn't happening yet. Hell, the way he was going, he couldn't even tease _Genis_! This was _crazy_!

A minute later, his eyes flew open as the kitchen door creaked opened and, unsurprisingly, Sheena stepped inside. Seeing him, she closed the door and walked over to him, her eyes narrowed again as she gently grasped his arm. "Hey. Are you okay?"

 _No, I'm not, and you already know that because you know me way too well, sweetheart_. Despite that, though, he released a low sigh as he looked up at her. "I think so."

It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the truth, either, and naturally, Sheena frowned, not buying it. "Zelos, what's going on? You seem so distant, so... _unhappy_. I mean, you've barely said a word the past hour."

He shrugged. He didn't want to talk about this because it was something _he_ had to figure out, not her, and he didn't want to bother her with something this stupid - Martel knew he'd bothered her with enough stupid stuff the past two weeks to last a lifetime - but then, it wasn't like anything was _wrong_ , either. "Eh, I'm all right. Really."

Her brows furrowed further. "This isn't about Lloyd again, is it?"

Zelos chuckled and shook his head. "No, no, this has nothing to do with him. You've made your stance on that particular subject very clear."

"Good," she said, nodding curtly and giving him a faint smile. "I hope so."

Eh, well, _she_ might know _him_ too well, but _he_ knew _her_ too well, too - and he knew she wouldn't quit pushing until he'd told her what was bugging him, no matter how dumb the reason was. And to that end - and so he wouldn't piss her off by _not_ telling her - he would be honest. "I just...I'm not sure how to act around them yet."

Both her face and her voice softened. "I figured as much."

So she'd guessed that already, eh? She really was getting better at identifying things like that - and at not getting upset about them. He'd meant it when he'd said she was getting better control of her temper. And oh, did he love seeing her softer side more often. It amazed him that being with her was not only helping him feel more comfortable being himself, but that he seemed to be rubbing off on her, too, softening and calming her. And this was another thing that amazed him - how observant she was becoming. Her words two weeks ago had been clear enough, but now, seeing how she went out of her way to figure out things about him...well, from experience he knew only someone who truly cared about him - _loved_ him - would take the time to notice when he wasn't acting like himself. And that, too, just made him want to hold onto her as tightly as he could and never let her go.

In any case, if she'd already deduced that much about his frame of mind, then what would expounding on it hurt? "I know this sounds stupid, but I have no idea what to say to them. I'm used to flirting with the girls and cracking stupid jokes with the guys, but...well, I don't think you'd appreciate my hitting on them while you're sitting there, and I've gotten so used to _not_ acting stupid that it's just not coming naturally to me."

Her eyebrows flew upward and she folded her arms to her chest. "And yet it's okay to hit on them when I'm _not_ sitting there?"

Zelos sighed. Damn, that came out wrong. "Of course not. That's not what I..."

She laughed softly and grasped his arm. "Zelos, relax. I know. I'm just teasing you."

...Wow, how had _that_ snuck by him? He must be in a worse frame of mind than he'd thought if he hadn't caught her playfulness. "Yeah, I know," he said, smiling faintly.

She nodded in approval, then tilted her head. "And you could be hitting on _me_ , y'know, if that would feel more natural for you. I do tolerate that now, in case you hadn't noticed."

Heh. As if he could possibly question that. And oh, was he glad she let him, because if he couldn't, he would've gone crazy months ago. "Kinda hard not to," he said, grinning. "But it might, oh, tip off our audience to something more going on between us if you're not, y'know, smacking me senseless every time I do."

Sheena snorted. "Well, I could be doing _that_ , too, if you really want me to."

Zelos pretended to seriously consider that a moment, but then he shrugged it off with a sneaky, knowing grin. "Eh...I'm afraid I'll have to pass. I've kinda gotten used to you _not_ smacking me all the time."

"Heh." And again, her face and her voice softened as she met his eyes. "To be honest, I've kinda gotten used to not smacking you all the time, too."

His grin softened. There, again, was that sweet, shy side of her that he adored - the side that reminded him he had to be doing _something_ right with her if he was able to elicit it. And at that point, he couldn't help it; seeing that side of her always drew out the other side of him, too - the open, honest side that he still had trouble showing anyone but her - all in an effort to keep drawing out more of that sweet, shy side of her. It was a never-ending cycle with them, it seemed, and while it had been weird at first, now it seemed to be becoming second nature.

"Anyway," he went on, clearing his throat, "I guess the main thing is I'm not sure I even _want_ to act stupid like that anymore. I mean, you've placed this incredible, unprecedented, in my opinion unwarranted, amount of faith in me, Sheena, and I...I don't want to let you down and disappoint you by reverting into that jerk you hate. But if I'm not acting like _that_ with them, then how am I _supposed_ to act? If they were actually talking to me or asking what _I've_ been doing lately instead of ignoring me, well, at least I'd have something to respond to. The way things are going, though, they're just tolerating my presence here. And even if I did trust myself not to open my mouth and put my foot in it, I don't want to start talking about myself and come across as arrogant and narcissistic again."

Sheena smiled warmly and stepped closer to him, taking his hands in hers and trailing her thumbs over the backs of them. "Okay, first of all, let's get one thing straight. However you decide to act tonight, you won't disappoint me, Zelos. I get it. This is hard for you, letting down the Idiot Chosen mask with people whose opinions you value when you don't know how they'll react to the real you. Being yourself around others isn't easy for you after you've spent your entire life controlling everyone's views of you. To an extent, I've done the same myself. If you're not comfortable with that yet and feel you need to act like an arrogant, narcissistic jerk, well, I won't get pissed about it." She grinned as she pulled one of her hands from his and poked his chest. "At least so long as you don't start treating _me_ like that."

Zelos chuckled softly. Oh, no problem there. He'd learned his lesson, and every day he reminded himself that he couldn't afford to mess this relationship up, not when he was already on his second chance and wouldn't get a third after everything he'd once done to her. "Never again, love."

"I know," she whispered, her grin softening as she returned her hand to his. "But I do think this would be a good opportunity for you to start reinventing yourself with them. It's been six months since we've all been together; they all know how much people can change in that time, because most of them have. Just look how much _we've_ both changed. They'll be more accepting of radical changes in you now simply because they haven't seen you in ages, especially when those changes are for the better, like yours are."

Oh, Sheena. She had no idea how encouraging and heartening words like those were. The problem was that while he didn't doubt she was telling the truth as _she_ knew it, he just didn't see what she seemed to in himself. All he was doing was taking her advice and living each day in an effort to make up for all the selfish crap he'd forced on innocent people while seeking freedom from his title. Instead of arguing that again, though, he conceded, "Maybe."

Thankfully, instead of pushing, she squeezed his hands and gave him another soft smile. "As for no one talking to you, that's because they're all afraid of getting 'you' started talking about yourself, teasing everyone, and making dumb jokes again. Chances are they're just as confused that you're _not_ acting like that as you are about how _to_ act with them."

"Heh." Yeah, he was sure she was right. And really, he deserved it for being an idiot for so long. Keeping them all uncomfortable around him had made sense at the time, but now...well, now he was starting to think he'd done too good of a job with it. And unfortunately, he doubted he'd get a chance to explain himself with them the way he had with Sheena. In fact, he was _still_ shocked he'd had that chance at all - and that she'd believed him and forgiven him. But as dark as those thoughts were, he refused to dwell on them and risk dragging her into the darkness with him, so instead he quipped, "I feel so loved."

Before he could even recognize what she was doing, Sheena released him, hopped up on her toes, cradled his face with her hands, and gave him a breathtaking kiss. After a moment, he sank into it, relaxing, and placed his hands on her waist, drawing her body tight against his. There was nothing in this world as incredible or as addictive as the taste of a kiss from a woman he loved this damn much, and even after less than two hours here, he was already missing being able to do this whenever he wanted to, which was pretty much all the time.

When she finally pulled back, she offered him a shy but loving smile. "Well, you _should_ feel loved, at least by me," she murmured, trailing a finger down his cheek, but then she pulled back and looked him over. "But I guess my main question is why do you need to act with them at all? Just be yourself."

Zelos sighed. That sounded so very nice...and yet everything inside of him recoiled at the thought when he had no idea how they'd react to that person. Other than Sheena, pretty much everyone he'd ever showed the 'real' him, even briefly, had immediately started acting weird and uncomfortable around him, and while he knew these people, he didn't know them well enough to guess how they would react to _him._ And honestly, he liked them too much to cause them that kind of discomfort.

"I wish it was that easy," he murmured. "But I'm just not sure I know how to do that."

Sheena grinned wryly. "Yes, you do. You do it around me all the time."

Okay, so she had a point. But that didn't help with _this._ He _knew_ how she would react to him. And as he'd determined long ago, she was an exception to pretty much every rule he'd ever had for himself. "Well, yeah, but that's because you're different, love."

Her grin softened and she poked his chest again. "Maybe, but in case you've forgotten, it was you being yourself with me that made me fall in love with you in the first place. Until you did that, I never would've considered being with you like this."

That, too, he couldn't deny. He suspected he would wonder, to his dying day, what had possessed him that night to give in to her atypically patient attempts to pick away at his walls and let her see the part of himself he'd always hidden from everyone. He was glad he had - oh, was he glad for that stroke of fate that had resulted not only in his 'mental holiday,' but in her timing at finding him like that - but that, too, had been an unusual circumstance. Expecting lightning to strike twice, for these people to care about him enough to do the same, was asking for the impossible.

Zelos sighed, his head sinking downward. "Yeah, I know."

Sheena grasped his arms and squeezed them, her smile radiating so much tender love that it made his heart skip a beat. "Zelos, the real you is pretty damn good. It's incredible, actually. I know you're not comfortable with that part of yourself yet, and especially not with showing it to anyone but me, but it really is the best part of you. You're a good man; if you let them see that side of you, I'm sure they'll reach the same conclusion I did."

"Maybe," he murmured, desperately wishing he could believe her.

"If that's what you decide to do, though, I think we both know you have a lot of damage to undo," she went on. "I may know why you made the choices you did, but they don't. You did an excellent job creating that Chosen One persona for yourself, and unfortunately, undoing it won't be as easy. Even if you ultimately came through for us, I doubt Raine has forgiven you for betraying us yet. Genis probably hasn't either. Those two will be the hardest to crack. Presea...well, she's hard to read, but I doubt she cares one way or the other. I've already talked to Regal, and he's fine with you however you act. Lloyd is probably the most accepting, loyal person we'll ever meet. Once he figures out who you really are, he'll be thrilled and will back you a hundred percent...although it might take him awhile to fully accept that you're _not_ the ditzy womanizer you always pretended to be. And Colette..."

Zelos let out a soft laugh. "Yeah, I know. Colette is fine with anyone and anything."

She grinned. "I remember her declaring you to be 'sweet' once, and that was _after_ you'd turned her over to Cruxis, and I doubt anything you do could change that. Once she concludes that about someone, it takes more than even you could do to convince her otherwise."

The idiot in him simply couldn't help himself. He gasped and lifted a hand to his chest. " _Me_? _Sweet_? But I'm _not_ sweet!"

"Yes, you are," Sheena said, playfully swatting his arm and giving him a pointed looked. "Quit trying to be such a tough guy all the time and worrying about manipulating everyone's views of you. Just be yourself. Like I said, that's pretty damn good from where I'm standing. Regal and I are on your side, and that won't change. We like you for you, and so will they. So don't worry so much. And by all means, Zelos, if you do decide you're ready to start showing them your real self tonight, then go however slowly you need to with it. Don't think you have to completely reinvent yourself in one night; they'll still be your friends a week from now, a month from now, a year from now. After everything we've all been through together, nothing will change that. But there's no better time to start doing that than now, if that's what you want."

Again, Zelos knew she had a point. And the thing was, he realized, he truly _wanted_ that. He didn't want to _act_ and _manipulate_ and _control_ people's - his _friends'_ \- views of him anymore. The problem was, convincing himself to actually takethat first step was so damn _hard_. Once he'd crossed that line, once they'd seen he _wasn't_ a complete idiot and womanizer, he could never go back to being the way he was before. The line simply could never be uncrossed, because they would always remember having seen this other side of him. And taking that step was...well, he hated to admit being afraid of anything, but doing this scared the hell out of him when he wasn't sure what awaited him on the other side: acceptance or rejection.

But the thought of actually having friends who accepted him for _him_ was appealing. In fact, that was something he'd always wanted: real, honest-to-goodness _friends_. And really, he couldn't forget he had something this time that he'd never had before: Sheena encouraging him and watching his back as he stuck an exploratory toe across that line. "I know," he murmured, his gaze falling to her lips. "I'm just not sure how to start, not without everyone overreacting, declaring me insane, and insisting I see a shrink."

For a moment, Sheena bit her lip as she observed him, but then she gave him a faint smile. "I have an idea that might do the trick."

His eyes lifted back to hers and he cocked an eyebrow. "Oh? Care to share?"

Her smile broadened into a smirk, accompanied by a delicious sparkle in her eyes that he wasn't sure he'd ever seen before. "Heh. You'll see."

Zelos grinned slyly, his eyes narrowing as he realized what she was saying: she wasn't going to tell him her plan. She had no idea how much it turned him on when she was sneaky and spontaneous like this, did she? "Isn't this the opposite of how this conversation usually goes? Y'know, me having the plan and you having no luck getting any clues out of me?"

...And now that sparkle was downright _mischievous_. "Yeah, well, that's because I learned from the best." Before he could reply, she hopped up on her toes and gave him another kiss, then pulled back enough that she could see his eyes. "Just trust me, okay?"

His smile softened. _Oh, Sheena. As if you really need to ask_. "Always, sweetheart."

Before he could emphasize that with another quick kiss, they broke apart as a light knock sounded on the door. A second later it opened, and Regal's head poked inside. Seeing them watching him, he stepped inside and closed the door. "I apologize for interrupting...whatever is going on in here...but the others are wondering what happened to you. Genis said, and I quote, _'He probably said something stupid and she's beating him to a bloody pulp.'_ I offered to check on you; I didn't think you wanted them to do so."

A quickly glance at Sheena showed a blush was appearing on her cheeks as she gave Regal an awkward smile - even though they really _hadn't_ been doing anything inappropriate. "Thanks, Regal," she said, then glanced at Zelos curiously. "Everything's fine now...right?"

Zelos grinned. "Yeah." Yeah, everything was fine, because he trusted that Sheena truly had his best interests in mind. He would let her plan unfold and hope it alleviated his awkwardness. Just knowing she was on his side and wouldn't get pissed if he slipped was enough to take away the worst of his concern. He motioned at the dining area. "Let's get back in there."

Regal nodded, accepting that, and grabbed the door handle, only to stop and look back at them. "Oh, and in case you're interested, Colette just took the last piece of bread and is apologizing profusely for having done so."

Sheena looked at Zelos and smiled, and he nodded in understanding, catching Regal's meaning: that would be a good cover for why he'd left earlier, if he'd anticipated it would run out soon and was getting more. "Thanks, man," he said. "I appreciate it."

"Of course, Chosen."

Regal slipped out, closing the door behind him, and Zelos and Sheena set to work. Sheena grabbed another loaf of bread and began slicing it while Zelos located a basket from a cabinet for her to put it in. Once she was finished, she grinned at him as she placed the bread in the basket. "Just relax, okay? It'll be fine."

Zelos returned her smile as she handed him the basket. "I know. Thanks."

She tilted her head in acknowledgement, but then looked at him closely again, her eyebrows rising. "So do you want me to walk out of here acting like I'm pissed at you? Because I can, if that's what you want."

That time he didn't even have to consider the option. "Nah. We'll give your idea a try first."

"Okay." Her eyes darted around the kitchen, clearly looking for anything else she could take out, and a moment later she grabbed a tray of vegetables from the counter. Beaming him one last smile, she headed back to the party, and a second later, Zelos followed her.

"Oh, that's where those were!" Genis said as Sheena moved aside a few empty dishes and set the vegetable platter on the table. "I was wondering where I'd left that tray. Presea spent so much time cutting everything this afternoon that I'd feel bad if no one ate them."

Colette's eyes, likewise, lit up as Zelos replaced the empty breadbasket with the full one. "Oh, thank you, Zelos! Now I don't have to feel bad about taking that last piece!"

He grinned at her and retook his seat, glad that he'd made her smile. "No problem, angel."

Once settled in his seat, Zelos grabbed a slice of bread, buttered it, and tried to pick up the current topic of conversation...sounded like Raine was talking about her latest visit to Exire. It was then that he noticed Sheena lean toward Regal and whisper something in his ear. Regal's eyes widened slightly, but then he nodded, and she sat up straighter again, turning her attention back to Raine. Zelos had no idea if her aside to Regal was connected to her 'plan,' but he really did trust her so he would wait and see.

Eventually, Raine finished describing Exire's struggles to accommodate all the new half elves moving there, now that they knew it existed. Without warning, Regal cleared his throat and turned to Zelos. "So, Chosen. I hear I may not be able to call you that much longer."

Zelos's eyes narrowed slightly as Sheena arched an expectant eyebrow at him, a smile toying on her lips. Okay, so that was _her_ doing, eh? He gave her an uncertain half-grin, still not sure why she'd had Regal ask him that, but he'd go with it. "Not if I have anything to say about it."

Lloyd's head snapped toward him. "Huh? Really? Why's that?"

"I'm in talks with the king and the church to have the title removed," Zelos replied, grabbing his glass of water and taking a sip.

Colette's eyes widened. "Really? You can do that?"

"Well, I'm trying, anyway," he said, setting his glass down. "The church is resisting - I'm sure you know how they'd react in Sylvarant if their figurehead suddenly wanted to step down - but the king is all for it. He might have asked for my cooperation that one time, but he'd still rather have sole autonomy over his kingdom, not be required to ask for my opinion or my signature to pass a law."

Raine tilted her head, her eyes narrowing. "And you don't want that power? Many would kill for that kind of influence over a king. I'm sure some already have."

He shrugged. "Not particularly. It's not like I ever asked for it."

"When you're the Chosen, you aren't given a choice about what you're expected to do," Colette murmured.

Zelos pointed at her. "Exactly." Even though she didn't have the level of power he did because of Sylvarant's lack of a unified government, he'd known she would appreciate the sentiment. He didn't even want to think about everything this poor girl had gone through simply because she'd been born in the same role he had. He just hoped she'd had an easier time with those things than he had, because the thought of someone as sweet as Colette going through what he had made him want to strangle some priests. "You're born into the life and are stuck there regardless of whether you want it or are qualified for it."

Sheena lifted her glass to her lips, watching him over the rim. "Ah, but _I_ heard you were trying to _keep_ some of those rights and powers, even once you officially lose the title."

His eyes narrowed as she took a sip. What was she _doing_? She knew perfectly well what his goal was - and that _she_ had played a huge part in his decision to fight for those rights and powers. But then, she was obviously working on her 'plan,' and since he'd been in that position himself, manipulating pieces to achieve a certain end, he'd go along with that, too. "Well...yeah. Some of them, anyway. I'd like to at least remain an advisor to the king about certain matters - like foreign and racial affairs."

"Considering your experiences and knowledge of Tethe'alla, it would make sense for you to retain some say in those matters," Regal stated. "You've met many different people and have seen many things that a royalty rooted in Meltokio never would."

Zelos glanced back at Sheena, who was still arching an expectant eyebrow at him, and shrugged. "Well, I'd like to _think_ I'd do a decent job in that kind of position."

Without warning, Sheena smirked. "I dunno, I think you just want Minister Giannovio's job."

He snorted. "No, I just want Minister Giannovio _out_ of his job. And if that happens to coincide with the time I finally talk the church into removing my title, well, let's just say I wouldn't necessarily be opposed to filling it."

"Who is Minister Giannovio?" Lloyd asked, looking between them.

"He's the king's foreign minister," Sheena said.

"And a royal pain in the ass," Zelos muttered, popping the last of his bread in his mouth.

Sheena grinned wryly. "That, too. He's certainly made my job as an emissary a lot more frustrating than it had to be these past few months."

"Oh, you are speaking of _him_ ," Regal suddenly said, his tone laced with thinly veiled disgust. "While I normally disapprove of speaking ill of someone in such a high ranking position, I fear I must agree with you both."

Zelos looked at Regal curiously. "You've met him?"

Regal nodded. "Yes, once, at the princess's birthday party several months ago. He came up to me, introduced himself, and started speaking with me as if he knew everything about me and we were old friends, praising the Lezareno Company and inquiring, rather forcefully, about our plans for this upcoming year and whether we plan to begin distributing our products to the Sylvaranti people anytime soon. I might have been more inclined to answer his questions only he quickly started to insult my _real_ friends, along with all the other Sylvaranti people." His voice lowered. "That man is an obsequious little toad."

For a moment, Zelos met Sheena's eyes as she looked at him, stunned, but then they both burst out laughing. Okay, good, so it _wasn't_ just them who couldn't stand that man. Zelos suddenly wondered how many other people felt the same and would be happy to see him fired but were too polite to say so. "Yeah, I certainly can't disagree with that, Regal," he said. "In fact, that is, hands down, _the_ best description of that man I've ever heard."

"Oh, definitely," Sheena murmured, concealing her chuckles behind another sip of water.

"He doesn't like people from Sylvarant?" Colette asked, blinking her big blue eyes as if that news hurt her personally.

"That's one way to put it," Sheena replied. "His view of how to deal with the Sylvaranti people was to ask them to submit to Tethe'alla's control. Needless to say, that didn't go over real well, especially coming from an emissary of _peace_."

Lloyd wrinkled his face. "Why would he suggest that?"

Zelos tilted his head, considering that. "Let's just say he's...xenophobic. To the extreme."

Unsurprisingly, Lloyd's face wrinkled even further. "Zelda...what?"

"Xenophobic, Lloyd," Raine explained, reverting into teacher mode. "It means a hatred or fear of other races or, basically, of anyone unlike yourself."

"And yet someone like _that_ is Tethe'alla's foreign minister?" Lloyd replied, clearly confused.

"That's exactly our point," Sheena said. "He doesn't belong in that position."

"It wasn't this bad before he found out about Sylvarant's existence, but the minute he did, you guys became his target," Zelos added. "Let's just say he took a page out of the Pope's book on how to deal with half elves and twisted it around to apply to your people instead. He and the Pope always did get along well. In fact, I'm sure that's why he was asking about your company, Regal: he was probably seeking out high-powered allies to join in his anti-Sylvarant crusade."

Regal's eyes narrowed. "How could he not have known I helped reunite the two worlds?"

Zelos grinned wryly. "Because that's who he is. He thinks he knows everything about everyone, and yet he's never even set foot outside of Meltokio. He's only in the position because of his family's good history with the monarchy and because he bought the position with his family fortune."

"What a creep," Genis grumbled. "People like that give humans a bad name."

Lloyd sighed. "I guess we still have a lot of work to do, dealing with people who have a mindset like that."

"I just wish everyone would get along," Colette whispered. "It's so sad to hear about powerful people doing such awful things."

"I do not like people like that," Presea agreed. "He sounds dangerous."

Sheena nodded. "I get to deal with him every time I have to meet with the king, and I guarantee you he _is_ dangerous. And not just toward the Sylvaranti people, but toward _everyone_ who's not like him. Dwarves, elves, half elves, ninjas, even people of lower social status...we're all lumped into his 'sub-human' category."

"I must admit, I would not be disappointed to hear he had lost his position," Regal said.

"Which is exactly what Zelos is trying to do," Sheena said, giving Zelos another smile.

Zelos shrugged and smirked across the table at her. "On the bright side, from what I hear, he's doing a pretty good job of hanging himself."

She returned his smirk and chuckled wickedly, turning to Regal. "Oh, you should've heard it, Regal. There he was three weeks ago, going on and on about how pathetic the Sylvaranti are and how my friends are a bunch of losers - in more polite but no less scathing terms, mind you - when the King suddenly interrupts him. He'd had no clue the king had been standing behind him the entire time - and _I_ certainly wasn't going to point that out to him!"

Regal's eyes widened and his face lit up. " _No_!"

Sheena nodded smugly. "Needless to say, the king was _not_ happy. And the best part was that he finally started taking Zelos's complaints about Giannovio seriously, because he suspended him for nearly two months." She giggled. "You guys should've seen the look on his face. It was _hilarious_."

Zelos grinned broadly. She'd told him the story, in far greater detail, immediately after the incident had happened, and the mental image her description had evoked, of that little weasel with a classic hand-caught-in-the-cookie-jar look on his face, had left him laughing for the next five minutes. "I _so_ wish I'd been there that day," he said.

"You would've loved it," she said, her brown eyes sparkling, but then she cleared her throat and motioned at him. "In any case, while he's obviously unqualified for such a position, I agree with Regal that you _are_ qualified for it, Zelos. I mean, I can't help thinking all those people who've been shut out by Giannovio would be relieved to have someone like you in a position of authority, someone they can to go to about their issues and who isn't afraid to travel, like Giannovio is. At least that way you could stand up to the king for them and give them a say in something they wouldn't have otherwise."

Zelos thought he might be getting the gist of her 'plan.' And while it was making him a little uncomfortable, he couldn't help returning her smile. "Well, we'll just have to see how things go. But before I even consider that, he needs to be kicked out of his job for good, and I need to officially get rid of my current title."

"Huh," Lloyd said, looking across the table at him. "Y'know, Zelos, that's pretty cool, what you're trying to do."

"I agree with Lloyd," Regal said. "That is a generous offer considering your desire to be free of the responsibilities of the Chosen. And as Sheena stated, I am certain people would feel far more comfortable with you in that role than with Minister Giannovio."

"Heh," Zelos uttered, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. "Well, the fact of the matter is that once I lose the title and the powers that go with it, I'll never get them back. That means that regardless of Minister Giannovio and whether or not I want his job, if I want to keep _any_ of my powers as the Chosen, that needs to be decided before the title's gone completely. Well, that or if I want to make sure certain things get accomplished before I don't have any say in them anymore, I need to do them now."

Sheena smiled softly. "Which is why you pushed to get those anti-half-elf laws revoked, isn't it? And to get a few new ones passed, too, that protect their rights?"

Okay, now _he_ was starting to blush. True or not, he hadn't expected her to pull that out here, because as far as he was concerned, it wasn't a big deal. "Hey, my sister is a half-elf. Now that she's finally free from that abbey, I don't want to have to worry about her being lynched while she's walking down the street."

Raine's eyes widened. "Wait, are you saying _you_ introduced and pushed for those laws? I had heard a number of Tethe'alla's laws regarding half-elves were revoked and newer ones protecting our rights were passed, but I hadn't realized you were responsible for it."

Zelos shrugged, his blush deepening. "Well, I pushed the issue with the king, but he made the final decision - and thankfully _not_ the one Minister Giannovio was pushing for."

"Well, what do you know," Genis murmured. "I guess even _he_ can't be a completely ignorant, self-absorbed buffoon _all_ the time."

Zelos rolled his eyes, although he couldn't help thinking he'd heard a surprising bit of softness, and maybe even sincere amazement, in the kid's voice. "Love you too, brat."

"No, really, Zelos, that's cool," Lloyd said. "Especially since I remember you admitting when we first met that you weren't fond of half-elves."

Colette smiled brightly. "I agree, Zelos! I wish I had that kind of power to make important things like that happen, but Sylvarant doesn't have that kind of government."

Well, okay, he couldn't deny how good it felt to hear they approved of certain choices he'd recently made. It wasn't like he wasn't _trying_ to be a better person and think more about what other people needed; after Sheena had pointed out that 'tomorrow was another day' for him to make amends for all the crap he'd once done, he'd started looking for ways to make that happen. He doubted he'd ever repay his debt to society, but at least doing some of these things made him feel a _little_ better about himself. _Better late than never, right?_

He chuckled and rubbed his neck again. "Heh. Gotta take advantage of situations like those when they arise, right?"

"I never would have taken you for someone who would go out of your way to make such things happen, but speaking as a half-elf myself, I am deeply grateful you have," Raine said, her eyes narrowed slightly as she watched him.

"I've been around you guys long enough to know you're no different than us," he stated. "Some of you are good; some of you are bad. You can say the same about us humans. And because you _are_ the same, you deserve to live under the same laws we do."

Resting her elbows on the table, Sheena leaned forward, watching him closely again. "Of course, I also heard you donated a rather large sum of money to help fund an orphanage in Palmacosta for all the kids who lost their parents there when the Great Tree went berserk."

His lips parted, his eyes widened, and his blush deepened - now _that_ he definitely _hadn't_ expected her to bring up - but before he could manage a response, Lloyd's and Colette's eyes snapped to him. "Wait, that was _you_?" Lloyd said.

"Lloyd and I saw them building that orphanage when we were there last month!" Colette added excitedly. "They'd just started working on it! Everyone was trying to figure out who their mysterious benefactor was. No one knew who'd given them all that money. You did that, Zelos?"

And again, Zelos's hand went to his neck as even more murmurs of surprise sounded from the others. "Heh. Well, when I heard Lady Dorr talking about it one time when she stopped by Meltokio, hoping to ask the king for his support, it sounded like a good enough cause, especially since we were, y'know, responsible for what happened there..."

"That's really nice of you, Zelos!" Colette beamed.

"I agree, Zelos," Presea added.

Regal bowed his head. "Yes. That is extremely generous, Chosen."

Zelos was sure his face must be as red as his hair. Talk about an awkward situation; he _hated_ it when people started saying stuff like that about him. Well, okay, so it made him feel pretty good, too, but even after all the acting he'd done as the Chosen, he'd never figured out how to respond gracefully to sincere compliments like these. It was so much easier when the praise he was receiving was as fake as the answer he gave them.

"Nah, not really," he said, waving that off. "I know how those kids feel, not having families of their own. Quite a few of us do. Besides, I don't feel right keeping all that money still coming into the Chosen's coffers since the reunification. I may still officially be the Chosen, but technically speaking, there _is_ no Chosen anymore, so..." He shrugged. "Those kids need the money far more than I do."

Lloyd shook his head slowly, a smile toying on his lips. "Wow, Zelos. That was a _lot_ of money. Even Clara said she couldn't believe anyone would give that much...although she seemed to know you were the one who'd given it."

"She just wouldn't tell us who it was," Colette said. A moment later, she clapped her hands together, her face beaming with delight. "Oh, I'm so excited to hear it was you!"

Letting out a soft, embarrassed laugh, again unsure how to respond, Zelos's gaze darted at Sheena, only to find her eyes were wide and her lips parted. "Wait, you mean you donated that money _anonymously_?" she said. "You never told me that!"

Zelos blinked at her innocently. "Hey, if you didn't notice, I'm _trying_ get out of the whole celebrity limelight thing. Having an orphanage named after me would be kinda counterproductive to that goal, don'tcha think?"

She released a soft, incredulous laugh and shook her head, amazed. "You really are unbelievable. If I'd know you'd done that, I wouldn't have said anything about it now!"

He chuckled, but he really wasn't upset with her. She was right, he hadn't mentioned that because, well, he hadn't meant for _her_ to find out about it, either. She'd just happened to be at his mansion the day Sebastian was checking up on the Wilder household's monthly finances and realized a significant amount was missing and had demanded an explanation for it. Needless to say, she'd figured it out pretty quickly. He just hadn't bothered to go into all the details with her because he hadn't thought it important. After all, wasn't the point of charity to help others, not to get fame and credit for it? That had always been _his_ interpretation, at least, based on everything he'd heard from the Pericheks.

"Eh, don't worry about it," he said. "It's too late now."

"Well, I agree with Sheena, Zelos," Raine said, watching him carefully, but there was definite surprise in her voice, too. "That _is_ unbelievable."

"If you wish, Zelos, we will not tell anyone what we have learned here," Presea said beside him, offering him a faint smile - one of the first she'd ever given him, which said a lot since he could count on one hand the number of smiles he'd seen Presea give _anyone_.

"Of course not," Regal agreed.

"Although it's not like anyone would believe us even if we did," Genis muttered, but while his words were still harsh, his voice was even softer than before.

Zelos bowed his head, embarrassed, but he was also liking how it felt to be complimented like this. "Thanks, guys."

"Well, I'm impressed, Zelos!" Colette said, giving him another bright smile.

Lloyd nodded. "Me, too. That's not what I'd expected to hear _you_ had been up to. I figured if it didn't have anything to do with chasing after girls, you'd never bother with it."

"I'm really impressed, too, Zelos," Sheena said softly, giving him the most openly loving smile he'd ever seen from her while in the presence of their friends.

And finally, Zelos realized, he was feeling relaxed here. Her plan, to point out some of the things he'd done lately that she'd thought especially high of but without making _him_ volunteer that information and sounding like he was full of himself, had worked. It felt incredible, having the validation that he was on the right track with what he was doing. _He_ was certainly liking how he felt when he did something good. And suddenly, he couldn't wait to find something else to do that would make him feel like this again, whether any of these people knew what he'd done or not.

He looked back at Sheena and smirked. This was too good to pass by - and it would make him feel even more comfortable here, to resort to _some_ level of stupidity so these people didn't think he was a completely different person, yet without destroying any respect he'd just earned. "Yeah, chicks seem to love it," he quipped. Instantly, Lloyd groaned and muttered, "I should've known," even as Raine and Genis rolled their eyes and the others sighed and shook their heads, but Zelos didn't pay them any heed. He just grinned at Sheena as she gave him a mock glare, her cheeks erupting in a beautiful blush, but she was smiling, too. And knowing the others were distracted by his comment, he took advantage of the opportunity to mouth to her, _'Thank you.'_

Her blush deepened and her glare faded into a shy smile. Zelos expected her to mouth, _'You're welcome_ ,' but he was immensely surprised and pleased when she instead mouthed, _'Love you.'_

The conversation continued with Colette commenting that it sounded as if Zelos and Sheena had been 'in touch' the past six months, which led into a discussion of how yes, they'd seen each other quite a bit since Sheena had become the Emissary of Peace. That had then raised more questions about Minister Giannovio and especially about how the Tethe'allan monarchy had tried to annex Iselia and how upset the Iselians had been about it and how suspicious they'd become of the king (but _not_ , Lloyd had reassured Sheena, of the emissary herself), and then into other topics. By that point, though, Zelos was only partially paying attention to what they were saying, because he was just enjoying being included in the conversation now and feeling more comfortable here, seeing as _they_ were now all comfortable enough with _him_ to be talking to him.

And, of course, he was reveling in the simple fact that he had, without a doubt, _the_ most incredible girlfriend any man had ever had. Catching her eye across the table, he gave her another amazed, touched, grateful smile, which succeeded in making her blush, smile, and look away shyly. And then, finally, having taken that first intimidating step across the line and lived to tell about it, Zelos settled in to enjoy the rest of the night in a way he'd never thought he would be able to do.

0~*~0


	3. The Gifts

**Part 3: The Gifts**

The conversation continued long after everyone finished eating dinner, but eventually Lloyd and Genis became impatient and started clamoring to move on to the present exchange. Lloyd volunteered himself, Colette, and Genis to clean up later, and so after throwing everything in the sink, the group moved to the living room. The teenagers especially were excited to get started and kept urging everyone to hurry and get their presents so they could get started.

It was obvious to Sheena that none of the Sylvaranti people had done this kind of gift exchange before, based on their eagerness, but while she was excited to see what everyone had gotten her, too, it wasn't her first time doing so. It _was_ her first time celebrating the New Year's holiday with Zelos, though, and every time she looked at him where he'd seated himself in a chair across the room from the couch where she was sitting, clearly wanting to keep some distance between them while still being able to see her, she couldn't help wishing it could've just been the two of them enjoying the holiday. They would get to that eventually, though; she just had to be patient. And until then, she would enjoy being able to spend this time with old, dear friends and look forward to seeing what he'd gotten her later. And since there were so many people and they hadn't thought to set up a pick-a-name-out-of-a-hat gift exchange in time, they decided to save time by having each person distribute their gifts for everyone else all at once.

The gifts were basically what Sheena expected from everyone. Lloyd gave everyone some form of metalworking that he'd done himself - beautiful metal pins for the women, fancy belt buckles for the guys. Presea gave everyone one of her carved charms. Genis, unsurprisingly, _also_ gave everyone one of Presea's charms (claiming he wanted to support her work, since all the proceeds were going to Ozette's reconstruction, although Sheena suspected he'd just wanted an excuse to go see her), so everyone ended up with two of her charms, and, in a few cases, like Zelos's, with two _identical_ charms. Just to be unique, though, he'd also thrown in a homemade batch of each person's favorite cookies, which had gone over a little better. Regal gave everyone some of the extra - and definitely expensive, Zelos had declared, which Sheena knew was true since she remembered seeing the price tags while they'd been shopping in Altamira - items that had sold well for the Lezareno company during the New Year's season, things he thought they'd find useful. Colette had further explored her recently discovered creative side and gave them each beautiful paintings of their respective hometowns.

Raine, naturally, gave everyone a book geared toward them - and Sheena had burst out laughing at Zelos's face when he'd unwrapped his book: ' _What Women Really Want_.'

" _Oh, that's easy_ ," he'd said smugly. " _I don't even need the book to know that. It's me!_ "

Sheena had insisted he toss the book over to her, which he had, and she'd leafed through it. " _Hm...nope, 'Zelos' isn't one of the listings in the index,"_ she'd replied. _"'Wilder' isn't, either_."

The idiot had actually _gasped_ and _pouted_ at that before grinning brightly again. " _'The Smokin' Hot Chosen of Tethe'alla,' then_!"

" _'Chosen' - nope_ ," she'd deadpanned as she looked at the index again. " _'Smokin' Hot' - nope. Hm, let's see...'Idiot Chosen,' 'Gigolo,' 'Casanova,' 'Pervert,' 'Womanizer'...nope. Sorry, Zelos, you're just not in here. Better luck next book_." She'd bit back another laugh as he'd pouted again, then she went back to looking through the book. " _Although you could make a case that money and fame apply to you, because the book_ _ **does**_ _acknowledge there are women who go solely for that_..."

Zelos had thrown his hands up in the air. " _Agh, that book is defective!_ _ **Every**_ _woman wants me!_ "

" _Obviously not_ _ **every**_ _woman wants you or you'd have your own chapter_ ," Sheena had replied.

He'd quickly turned to Raine. " _Can I get a refund_?"

" _No_ ," Raine had countered. " _Just read it. You might be surprised what you find. And so might your hunnies_."

Sheena had laughed again, glad Zelos had gone the playful route instead of getting insulted that Raine had given him something like that (especially when Sheena knew perfectly well that he _did_ know what women wanted - or at least what _she_ wanted), but her amusement had quickly turned into a frown, then into a scowl, and finally into a desire to smack Raine as she'd unwrapped her own book and discovered it was called ' _The Dummies' Guide to Anger Management.'_

Zelos, as Sheena had already known because she'd been with him when he'd bought them, had opted to be pricier with his gift. He'd given each of them not only an individual trinket he'd found in either Meltokio or Altamira for gifts he'd thought they'd like (an urn he and Sheena had been assured came from an ancient civilization for Raine, an adorable dog figurine for Colette, etcetera), but also a ticket to one of the upcoming, non-Katz related shows at Altamira's theater. It was a few months away, but it was a play that had been very highly rated and hard to get tickets for, especially in a block of eight seats as he had so they could enjoy the show together.

Naturally, Genis had whined when he'd learned Zelos had gotten himself a ticket, too. " _Oh, I should've known_ _ **he**_ _would be there, too_! _If this was a real gift, he would've left himself out of it!_ "

But thankfully, Lloyd had quickly silenced him with an, " _Oh, shut it, Genis - this play sounds like loads of fun! Thanks, Zelos! I can't wait to see it!_ "

Sheena was the last to distribute her gifts, and she'd been relieved when everyone liked the quilted pillows she'd found in Mizuho that were guaranteed to give the person who slept on them sweet dreams. Each was designed in a special, unique shape, mostly animals, and she'd been especially impressed with the colors and materials her clansman Akiko had used to make them. Even Zelos had thought they were darling, and it was when she'd realized _he_ sincerely liked them that she'd decided to get everyone one. Well, except him, since by the time she'd finally decided on the pillows, she'd already had something even better in mind for him.

They had done extremely well getting through the gift exchange without anyone noticing she and Zelos hadn't exchanged gifts, and Sheena was starting to believe they'd managed it when Colette, who was sitting on the floor, ogling the cute shapes and patterns of everyone's pillows, turned to Zelos. "What did Sheena get you, Zelos?"

Hearing her name, Sheena looked up, only to find Zelos's eyes widening slightly. Thankfully, though, he quickly caught himself and smiled broadly, motioning at the puppy pillow Sheena had given her that she'd already named Paulie. "Oh, y'know. One of those lil' critter pillows."

Colette smiled excitedly. "Can I see it? The rest are so cute that I want to see what other kinds there are!"

 _Uh oh_ , Sheena thought as Zelos's eyes darted at her. _This could be a problem_. Maybe she should've bought him one, too, just to have something to give him now in front of the others - if only she'd realized sooner what giving him her _real_ gift tonight would mean doing. They hadn't thought it through and decided not to exchange their gifts until too late, though. Besides, he'd been with her when she'd picked out the pillows she wanted, and it had seemed silly to buy him one, too. She'd hoped they would fly under the radar tonight with no one noticing they hadn't exchanged gifts, but it appeared they were about to be thwarted by Colette's insatiable love of all things 'cute.'

Zelos looked back at Colette and smiled awkwardly. "Ah, well, I..."

 _No, Zelos, not a good save_ , Sheena thought, cringing as Colette's face fell. Not that she could blame him; she was sure he was trying to think of some way to distract her, but he wasn't coming up with it quick enough - and Sheena knew she wouldn't be doing any better in his position. "She didn't get you one?" Colette said, but a moment later her face brightened. "Well, that's okay! I'm sure she got you something else that was great, too!"

"Yeah, Zelos, what did she get you?" Lloyd asked, grinning. _Oh, wonderful,_ Sheena silently thought. _Leave it to Lloyd to catch what Colette is saying - and thanks to Lloyd, now Genis is paying attention, too._ "I bet it was something like Raine's. _'How to Talk To Women Without Making Them Smack You,'_ or something like that, right?"

Zelos released a fake laugh that Sheena recognized as nervous and pointed at him. "Yep, that's it exactly. The message sure came across loud and clear."

Colette, however, proved to be more perceptive than Sheena hoped for her face fell again. "She...she didn't get you anything, did she?" She suddenly turned and looked at Sheena, her eyes wide. "Sheena, you forgot to get Zelos a gift?"

Sheena could feel her face flaring. This was _not_ how this was supposed to be going - and something told her it would escalate quickly unless one of them thought of some way out of it, fast. She knew Colette only meant well, trying to make sure no one felt left out, but still... _Not now, Colette. Don't push this now. Please?_

"O...of course I didn't forget him!" Sheena countered, frantically searching for a way to appease her. "I got him something, too. D...do you really think _he_ would let me live it down if I didn't?"

Zelos motioned at her. "Yeah, seriously!"

In the chair in the opposite corner, Sheena could see Raine's eyes narrow as she looked between them. _Oh, perfect, now_ _ **she's**_ _paying attention, too_. "Zelos, I don't remember seeing what you got Sheena, either," she said. "Sheena, what was his gift to you?"

 _Oh, crap_. "Ah...um..." Damn, she'd never been good at reacting quickly or convincingly when put on the spot. She was getting better at it with Zelos, kinda, but she still couldn't handle quickly snowballing situations like this. She looked across the room at Zelos, silently begging for help. "Well...he..."

"Oh, I got her a ticket to the show, just like the rest of you - with a seat right next to mine so I can cop a feel when the lights go out!" he quickly said.

Sheena did her best to glare at him, but it was hard to put much effort into it when he was smiling so nervously. All he was doing was trying to cover for their oversight and distract the others with a perverted comment - his typical tactic when someone pushed too close to something he wanted to hide. "Yeah, what that idiot said - minus the 'copping a feel' thing unless he wants me to break his fingers."

"But he gave each of us something else, too," Lloyd pointed out. Damn, he still wasn't buying it. _Of all the times for him to not fall for Zelos's sleight of hand, why did it have to be_ _ **now**_? "What did he give you, Sheena?"

Her face flared as she realized _everyone_ was now watching them, and she looked again at Zelos for help. "He...well, he..."

"He didn't give you anything, either?" Colette said. She looked so _sad_ about that that Sheena almost felt bad about something she knew she had no reason to feel bad about. "Did you guys have a fight and are mad at each other?"

Genis shook his head. "Nah, can't be, Colette. Those two were talking too civilly before to have had a fight. And come to think of it, I haven't seen Sheena smack him all night! That's just not right! What good is a reunion without getting to watch him get beat up? That was one of the best parts of our journey! We need to fix this!"

Zelos huffed and gave Genis an annoyed, indignant look. "Hey! Don't _I_ get a say in this whole 'beating me up' thing?"

"Yeah, and what about me?" Sheena said, turning to glare at Genis where he sat on the couch beside her. " _I_ should have a say in this, too, don't you think?"

Genis's eyes widened. "What, you mean you don't _want_ to beat him up? Wow, I must've been sucked into an alternate universe. You're _always_ looking for reasons to beat him up!"

She growled, but before she could retort, Zelos shrugged. "Well, he _does_ have a point..."

Sheena gaped at him a moment, then motioned at him. "Other than a stupid, perverted comment or two, which is normal for you, you haven't said or done anything tonight that requires punishment!" Unable to resist, she smirked and arched a teasing eyebrow at him. "Unless I wasn't paying attention at the time and you want me to beat you up anyway..."

He tilted his head, a faint grin appearing on his lips. "Well...not particularly..."

"Didn't think so."

Without warning, Lloyd shook his head. "No, no, seriously, I want to see you guys give each other something. Zelos, you're the one who told me about this tradition! I can't let you go without getting something for everyone!"

Sheena sighed. They'd been doing so well getting off the 'presents' line of thought. "Lloyd, it's okay," she said. "Really. I'm not concerned."

"Yeah, neither am I, bud," Zelos quickly added. "Everything's fine."

"Well, I _am_ concerned!" Lloyd countered, lifting his hands. "If you guys had a fight and decided not to get each other a present because of it, I have to fix things!"

Zelos rolled his eyes, echoing the sentiment Sheena, too, was feeling. She appreciated Lloyd's concern - really, she did - and fixing any 'problems' his friends had with one another was what she expected from him, but he didn't have the whole story, and she wasn't interested in sharing it, either...even if it was starting to look like they might not have a choice. "Relax, man," Zelos said. "We didn't have a fight, we're not holding any grudges, and we haven't issued a no-talking-or-giving-each-other-gifts policy or anything like that, so there's nothing you need to fix."

"What he said," Sheena said, motioning at him. "It's not like we didn't get each other anything!"

"If you did get Zelos a gift, Sheena, then you should give it to him!" Colette said with a level of urgency that would be touching if it weren't so damn _irritating_. "And Zelos should give you his gift for you, too!"

And again, Sheena met Zelos's eyes, but the increasing alarm in them told her he didn't have any better ideas about what to do. How could they get out of this? There _had_ to be a way - only the answer, if it existed, just wasn't coming to her. Thankfully, after a moment, Zelos looked back at Colette and gave her a half-hearted grin. "Ah, well, actually, angel, the reason Sheena and I didn't exchange our gifts tonight is because we decided to wait until tomorrow for that."

Sheena was hopeful _that_ might work, but it was quickly dashed as Colette's face sank further. "So you really did forget to get each other something?"

"No! No, of course we didn't," Sheena said, realizing Colette had now concluded they really had forgotten and had to go buy the other a gift tomorrow. "We just..." Well, since Zelos had opted for the truth, so would she. "We didn't want to exchange our gifts here."

"Well, that's just not right," Lloyd muttered.

"Yeah, I agree with Lloyd!" Genis said. "I think you guys should do it here."

Zelos gave him an annoyed glare. "Hey, brat, no one asked you."

"What, are you afraid to give it to her?" Genis countered, smirking. "Let me guess, it's a stupid joke gift, right?"

"Of course I'm not afraid to give it to her!" Zelos said, his face wrinkling in distaste. "It's not like I got her _edible body paints_ or something!" He abruptly stopped, his eyes lighting up and his eyebrows waggling wickedly as he looked at her. "Although now that I think about it, that would've been a _great_ idea. We could've had oodles of fun playing with those..." Sheena snorted, snatched a crumpled ball of wrapping paper from the couch, and tossed it across the room, scoring a direct hit to the center of his forehead. "Ow! Sheeeennnnnaaaa!"

"Idiot." Despite his lapse into perverted stupidity, though, Sheena couldn't help giving him a knowing grin that he quickly returned. A moment later, though, she whirled toward Genis, who was laughing at Zelos, and pointed sharply at him. "And _you_ \- quit giving him ideas or the next projectile is getting thrown at you!"

Genis quit laughing and lifted his hands in a show of innocence. "I didn't do anything!"

Before Sheena could reply to that, Raine cleared her throat and motioned at them. "I must admit, I'm getting curious why you two are making such a big deal out of this."

"But we're not!" Sheena said, realizing her voice was starting to get a little loud but currently unable to control it. "You guys are the ones making a big deal out of it!"

"What do _you_ think, Presea?" Genis said. _Gee, big surprise - he's finding another excuse to talk to her_ , Sheena thought wryly, rolling her eyes.

Presea cocked her head as she looked first at Sheena, then at Zelos. "I find their decision to be...strange. But it _is_ their decision."

Genis pointed at her, nearly bouncing with delight. "See! See! Even Presea thinks you guys should be doing this now!"

 _Oh for the love of..._ "That's not what _I_ just heard her say..." Sheena muttered, folding her arms to her chest.

"I believe this should be their decision to make, not ours," Regal said.

Oh, thank Jizou. She had forgotten that Regal, their one true ally, was here because he'd been so quiet. Sheena gave him a grateful smile. "Thanks, Regal."

"Seriously, guys, everyone calm down already," Zelos said, lifting his hands. "This isn't a big deal to us, okay? That's just what Sheena and I decided to do."

"Well, _I_ think we should take a vote," Genis said. "Who here thinks they should exchange their gifts now - assuming they even got each other anything?"

Across the room, Sheena could see Zelos barely restrain a growl - not that she was feeling any less annoyed with this herself. "I think this is getting silly," she muttered.

"And childish," Zelos agreed.

"If Zelos and I are both okay with it, then what's the big deal?" Sheena went on.

Colette shook her head, her face and voice ridiculously pleading. "I don't want anyone to leave here feeling left out because they didn't get a gift! That's why I think you should."

Lloyd nodded curtly. "I agree with Colette. No one should leave here empty handed!"

 _'We're_ _ **not**_ _leaving here empty handed, though - look at all this stuff we got from the rest of you guys!' w_ as what she _wanted_ to say, but before she could even open her mouth to respond, Genis gleefully piped in, "I want to see Zelos get beat up for giving Sheena a stupid, inappropriate gift, so I say yes!"

"Big surprise there," Zelos muttered, rolling his eyes.

"That's three yeses - all in a row, too!" Lloyd pointed out, grinning broadly.

"Well, then, let me break that trend for you," Zelos quickly replied. " _No_. I don't think we should have to do this if we don't want to."

Sheena motioned at him. "I agree with Zelos, especially since this is _our_ choice, not yours. So...no."

"I believe if Sheena and the Chosen wish to exchange their gifts later, they should be allowed to do so," Regal said, to which Sheena beamed him another grateful smile.

"What, aren't you curious at all, Regal?" Lloyd said, turning toward him.

He shrugged. "Not particularly, no. As they said, this is their decision to make, not ours."

Colette bit her lip and tilted her head. "Okay, so that's...three yeses and three nos, right?"

"Presea?" Genis prompted, giving her a hopeful smile.

"I agree with Regal," she said. "I do not believe they should be forced to do something against their will."

Zelos grinned and reached over to where she sat on the floor near his chair, patting her on the head. "Thanks, rosebud."

"And that leaves Professor Sage," Colette said.

Everyone turned toward where she was sitting, eyeing first Sheena, then Zelos with a thoughtful look...and suddenly Sheena got the sinking feeling she would _not_ like what the woman was about to say. In fact, part of her was starting to wonder if Raine had already figured out what was really going on; she was just as sharp and shrewd as Zelos about things like this. "While normally I would be inclined to agree with Regal and Presea, I must admit, the way you two are trying to get out of it is making me curious," she finally said. "I believe I would like to see what you are giving each other."

Sheena's head sank downward. "Of _course_ you would," she muttered.

"So we're tied, four against four...great," Zelos said, releasing a weary sigh. A moment later, though, his face brightened again as another flicker of hope lit his eyes. "Well, then, in that case, I think the two people who this actually _affects_ should have the final say - and both Sheena and I said 'no.'"

Before Sheena could get her hopes up that that might work, though, Lloyd shook his head and grinned brightly. "Nope, doesn't work that way. This is _my_ house, and _my_ party, and so these are _my_ rules, and I say no one can leave until they've given everyone else a gift. That means you two have to do it now or you can't leave!"

Sheena groaned. She was starting to question what had ever possessed her to have a crush on _him_. "What are we, your prisoners now?"

"Yeah, I have to agree, bud," Zelos said. "What kind of crazy rules are _those_? I'm pretty sure there's one that says imprisoning your guests until they do something they don't want to do is borderline kidnapping."

Lloyd shrugged, his grin never faltering. "Sorry, guys, but the rules are the rules. You're stuck here until you've given each other some kind of gift!"

"This is the dumbest thing I think I've ever heard," Sheena muttered.

"I'm really sorry, Sheena, but I want to see what kind of dumb gift he got you!" Genis said.

Zelos's eyes narrowed as he pointed sharply at him. "You just want to see me get beat up!"

The grin Genis beamed him was downright _gleeful._ "Yep!"

Zelos retorted with something involving Genis, a tree, and one of the Lezareno Company's latest products, something called 'duct tape,' clearly attempting, again, to distract them from the 'presents' line of thought, but Sheena just folded her arms to her chest, barely paying attention. This was completely stupid - and, more than that, _unnecessary_. She didn't blame Colette for wanting to make sure no one went home unhappy, but there really was no problem here! She and Zelos had made it clear they agreed on this, so why couldn't everyone just accept it? If one of them was raising a fuss about it, then yeah, okay, she could understand it. But they were both fine with this! Seriously, what was the big deal about two people wanting a little privacy while exchanging gifts?

...Okay, so maybe from their friends' perspective, that really _was_ an odd decision to make, especially when no one else had done the same. She and Zelos were the two oddballs here, and considering how they used to act around each other, she supposed she could see where their concern was coming from. If no one else had caught onto the fact that they hadn't given each other a gift, or if they'd thought to get each other a small gift solely to appease their audience, this would have gone smoothly, but that wasn't possible anymore. No amount of arguing could erase those facts, nor the oddity of their decision.

Maybe they should just do it. Their friends obviously wouldn't let this drop, and continuing to refuse would just raise their suspicions further. At the moment, the arguing was still playful, but she didn't want Zelos to get exasperated while holding his ground for _her_ sake, because knowing him, he'd walk out rather than cave. So far they'd had a lovely night, and she wanted that to continue. For the most part, ever since dinner when they'd realized Zelos wasn't _solely_ a perverted idiot, everything had been going well. He'd been acting far more naturally - he still wasn't completely comfortable, she could tell, based on some of the uncertain looks he'd given her, but he'd definitely become more talkative once they started including him in conversations - and they, in turn, had been more accepting of him. In that respect, now that they'd passed that hurdle, she wouldn't mind telling them the _rest_ of the story. Now that she knew who he really was and had pointed out some of the impressive things he'd done lately, thus giving the others a peek behind Zelos's jokester mask, she wasn't embarrassed for their friends to know she was dating him. Dating _anyone_? Well, okay, so that was still embarrassing, because she wasn't used to people thinking about her in that context after she'd fought so hard to be recognized as a strong, emotionally independent ninja. But embarrassed about dating _Zelos_? At the start, maybe, but not now.

But her gift for him...Sheena blushed at how _obvious_ it would make their relationship. It really wasn't something meant for anyone but Zelos to see. And the most intimidating thing was that once they crossed that line and their friends learned about their relationship, they could never go back. _Everyone_ would know, not just Regal, and they couldn't do this quietly, on a one-on-one basis; it _would_ be the awkward announcement she'd dreaded. And if they did, then they'd have to deal with Raine and her disapproval, and Lloyd and Genis would tease them mercilessly...well, at least Regal was here and could ground them. While he was still amused by their relationship, he was also supportive of it, and having his backing might just help them survive this in one piece.

So should they do this? It was her decision. If she agreed, she knew Zelos would go with it; earlier he'd said he was fine with their friends knowing, and right now he was only fighting them off because _she_ didn't want to do this. And she still didn't; ideally, she would rather exchange gifts with him privately. Making an announcement was still asking for trouble, especially when she didn't want to accidentally reveal any of the secrets he'd entrusted to her while explaining why she loved him so much. And knowing all his insecurities about himself, she really didn't want to make _him_ uncomfortable listening to people who didn't know the real him trying to convince her she was making a mistake with him. But earlier they'd seemed sincerely impressed by everything he'd done lately, and maybe that would be enough to get them through this. In fact, maybe it would even help him if everyone _did_ know they were dating. After all, if _she_ were to say she'd had a change of heart about him and fully accepted him, wouldn't they be more likely to do the same?

She really would like to share with them, her _best friends,_ how happy Zelos made her. Now that she'd seen how the night had gone, she couldn't help thinking this might actually be a good time for it. If they did this, the actual unveiling would be awkward; that was a given. Heck, it would probably be awkward for their friends, too. But the bottom line was that she could deal with it because she wouldn't have to handle it alone; Zelos, and Regal, too, would back her up. Sure, their friends would tease them - but so what? Was that really that bad? They would get over it eventually, right? Colette would be thrilled for them - Sheena didn't doubt that - and Regal already knew, so that was two down already.

Besides, as she'd told Zelos, she'd made up her mind about 'them,' and she really wasn't going anywhere, not willingly. She was in this relationship for the long haul. And that meant they would be together for awhile longer - and the longer 'they' lasted, the more likely it would be that one of their friends would figure out the truth. Wouldn't it be better if everyone heard this directly from them? Rumors were questionable, but if they saw it firsthand, how could they deny it or misinterpret what was going on? In some ways, telling them would actually make their relationship feel completely 'real,' like it _should_ feel; persisting in hiding it was like saying she was ashamed of it and that it _wasn't_ 'real.' And since it _was_ 'real' for her, then why shouldn't she say so?

The more she thought about it, the more Sheena realized she didn't _want_ to hide it anymore. They had nothing to lose except a few minutes consumed by awkwardness and embarrassment, and then it would be over. _Think about Zelos and how this could help his reputation_ , she told herself. Besides, maybe she was just impatient, but she couldn't deny the appeal of not having to wait another day to find out what he'd gotten her - and she didn't want to wait to see his reaction to what she'd gotten him, either.

Then that was that. Her decision was made, and now it was time to get this over with. _Whatever will be, will be._ Sheena suddenly stood and clapped her hands together once, and instantly, Zelos, Lloyd, and Genis stopped arguing and looked up at her. "Y'know what?" she said, placing her hands on her hips. "Fine. You guys want us to exchange our gifts here? Then we will."

Unsurprisingly, Zelos's eyebrows flew upward. "We will?"

Sheena nodded curtly, ignoring the cheer and high-five Lloyd and Genis gave each other. No, she _would_ _not_ second guess this because of their stupidity. "Sure. Why not?"

His eyes narrowed as he watched her, clearly searching for the catch. " _Really_?"

"Really," she said, then offered him a faint smile that she hoped didn't look as nervous as it felt. "If they want to see this that badly, then so be it."

...And now his eyes were narrowing further. This would have been so much easier if she could've talked to him privately and told him she truly had changed her mind. "You _sure_ about that, babe? Because mine..."

"I know, mine too," she said softly before he could say too much. She'd determined to do this, and so they might as well make it a surprise for their audience. "And yes, I'm sure."

For a long moment, Zelos watched her closely, but Sheena just smiled at him, wanting to impress on him that she really was okay with making 'them' public and, therefore, 'real' in the eyes of their friends, people whose opinions they both valued. All she could hope now was that he didn't freak out at being put on the spot and turn this moment into a joke. She didn't think he would, because he'd more than proven how serious he was about her, but she couldn't dismiss the possibility. It wasn't as if he'd never surprised her before.

Clearly seeing her resolve, Zelos sighed, shook his head, and rose to his feet. "All right. I left it upstairs with my coat; just let me go get it."

"Yeah, I left yours in the kitchen with my bag," she said, giving him a reassuring, albeit awkward, smile as they crossed the living room, heading toward the steps and the kitchen.

Genis rubbed his hands together and laughed wickedly, leaving Sheena struggling to suppress the urge to smack him. "Heheh, this'll be fun!" he said.

"Oh, good!" Colette said, but at least _she_ sounded sincerely relieved, not eager to see Zelos get beat up. "I'm so glad everyone will have gotten something from everyone else!"

"Hurry back!" Lloyd added happily. "We can't wait for the show to start!"

Both Sheena and Zelos stopped just shy of the kitchen and turned to glare at Lloyd, who grinned at them broadly. After a moment, Zelos looked sharply back at her and gently grasped her arm before she could push open the kitchen door. "Hey, are you _absolutely_ _sure_ about this?" he asked softly.

Sheena cast another glance back at the others, rolling her eyes as Lloyd motioned with his hand for them to hurry up. Seriously, she'd once had a _crush_ on him? She almost couldn't fathom it anymore, especially when she now felt nothing for him. As if Zelos had _anything_ to worry about. With a low sigh, she turned back to Zelos and grinned wryly. "No, but what choice do we really have?"

He frowned as he, too, glanced back at their audience before leaning closer to her. "Y'know, we really don't have to do this. You don't have to do anything you don't want to do, sweetheart, just because _they_ are being stupid. I can talk them out of this."

"Yeah, I don't doubt that," she said. "And maybe three hours later they'll finally give up and leave us alone. But do you really want to spend the rest of the night doing _that_?"

Zelos considered that a moment, but then tilted his head. "Well, no, not really..."

Just as she'd figured, especially when there was a better use of their time. "Then let's just get this over with. We'll deal with their disbelief and teasing when that time comes."

"Gee, I'm all a-tingle with excitement already," he deadpanned.

Sheena chuckled. "It's okay, Zelos. Really. I don't mind if they know. Like I said, I'm not going anywhere, and since I'm not, they're gonna find out about us eventually. It might as well come from us." She shrugged and gave him a soft smile. "Besides, I can't say the thought of putting certain people in their place by showing everyone how great of a man I find you to be is completely unappealing."

To her amusement, a light blush appeared on his face as he let out a soft laugh, his eyes sparkling. "Yeah, well, I can't say it's completely unappealing to have you _defend_ me like that. And it really would be nice to be able to act more normally with you." His smile faded as he gave her another prompting look. "So...you're sure about this?"

She nodded curtly. "I'm sure."

A giddy wave of love rushed through her as Zelos gave her one of the warmest, happiest smiles she'd ever seen - a soft, loving smile she knew he reserved solely for her because, in all the years she'd known him and had seen him flirting with his hunnies, she'd never seen him give it to anyone else. "Okay. Then let's do this."

They split up, and a minute later she retook her seat on the couch. He returned a minute later carrying a thin, flat box wrapped in beautiful silver and purple paper. "Beat it, twerp," Zelos said, glaring at Genis and motioning for him to move from the couch. "If you really want to see me get beat up, then I need to be sitting next to her so she can reach me."

Genis grumbled but did as instructed, and Zelos immediately took his seat beside her. "Ooh, they really did get each other presents!" Colette said, sitting down on the floor in front of them so she could see. "I feel so much better now!"

Sheena bit back a growl as, a moment later, Lloyd joined Colette on the floor, quickly followed by Genis. Thankfully, Raine, Regal, and Presea didn't move from the other side of the room - although Sheena did note with a sigh that Raine was watching them through narrowed eyes. Regal gave her a sympathetic smile, which she returned, grateful at least _he_ had tried to respect their wishes, and Presea...well, Presea was ignoring Genis's indication that she should join them by the couch, obviously not interested, and was watching the unfolding saga with mild curiosity.

Releasing a showy sigh, Zelos rolled his eyes and shook his head. "So not only are we being forced to do this when we didn't want to, but we have an overly attentive audience for it, too," he grumbled. "That's just...peachy."

Sheena gave him a wry grin, then glared at Lloyd and Genis, who seemed to think this was the most fun they'd had all night. "Yeah, tell me about it," she muttered.

Without warning, Zelos sat up and leaned forward, mirroring her glare and pointing sharply at their audience. "All right, here's the deal. You guys aren't allowed to say anything while we're doing this. _Anything_. Absolutely _no_ comments will be tolerated from the peanut gallery until we're done. If you're gonna make us do this now, against our will, then you'd better shut up and let us do this and not give us any grief about it. If you try it, we _will_ stop, and I suspect Sheena will vent her frustration on you guys by beating you all up." He arched an expectant eyebrow. "Got it?"

Genis grumbled something to the affirmative, Colette nodded excitedly, and Lloyd's grin faltered as he gave Zelos a blank look. "Uh, what's a peanut galler-?"

"Ah!" Zelos interrupted, lifting his finger even higher. "Not a _single_ _word_ , especially from you, Mr. _This Is My House And I Make Up_ _ **The**_ _Most Stupid, Ridiculous Rules Imaginable Here_." Lloyd opened his mouth to say something, but Zelos's eyebrows rose even further and he practically stuck his finger in Lloyd's face, and Lloyd quickly closed it again, nodding his assent. Zelos watched him carefully another moment, but that time Lloyd didn't reply, and he nodded his approval. "Very good." And then, finally, he turned toward Sheena, his face instantly softening into an excited smile. "Okay?"

She watched him a moment, eyeing the box in his hands eagerly, then nodded. "Yeah."

His smile broadened into a grin, and he held up the box to her. "Then ladies first."

Looking at the box again, Sheena carefully took it from him. It was firm but not overly heavy...she had no idea what it might be. He'd given her various little things the past five months, all of which she'd loved dearly and had proven how well he knew her, so this, their first _real_ gifts to each other as a couple...she couldn't wait to see it. She turned the present over, trying to find a seam so she wouldn't wreck the beautiful, swirly purple and silver paper...and then froze as she caught sight of it from the corner of her eye: the 'peanut gallery' watching them. Her hands faltered and warmth flooded her face as she glanced up at them, suddenly nervous. Agh, it wasn't supposed to be like this. If only Colette hadn't noticed they hadn't given each other anything...

"Just ignore them, sweetheart," Zelos whispered in her ear, resting his left elbow on the back of the couch and leaning closer so no one would hear him. "Pretend it's just the two of us and they're not here, watching our every move like starving, psychopathic baby hawks."

He leaned back a little, albeit without pulling away completely, and Sheena nodded and smiled faintly, taking a deep breath to temper her nerves. "I'll try."

He returned her smile, and she looked back at the beautiful present. Unable to resist any longer, she began carefully unwrapping it, her smile broadening as she remembered the 'gift-wrapping party' they'd had two days ago at his mansion, wherein they had discovered they were both terrible at wrapping presents. Several unsuccessful attempts, a mountain of paper and tape on the floor, and a roll of wasted paper later, they had finally admitted defeat and dragged in poor Sebastian to help. Sheena bit back a chuckle as she slid her finger beneath the tape and lifted the first flap of paper; this present was wrapped far too neatly for Zelos to have done it himself, so he must have had Sebastian do this one too - which was ironic since she'd dropped by yesterday while he'd been meeting with the king to have Sebastian wrap her present for him, too. Successfully pulling off the paper without ripping it revealed a black velvet box a little bigger than her hand, longer than it was tall or deep. She cast another glance at Zelos, who was now resting his head on his hand, his elbow propped up on the back of the couch, a small, hopeful smile toying on his lips as he watched. Her heart pounding faster in anticipation, Sheena swung the top of the box up on its hinge, and...

 _...Oh, great Jizou._

"I know you're not the kind to be impressed by girlie things like jewelry, but I thought it suited you and hoped you'd like it anyway," Zelos said softly. "You said you don't have any of your own, and if you really are sticking around awhile...well, I'm hoping you might need something like this again sometime. And I wanted to make sure you had something more meaningful than just a diamond, so..."

Sheena couldn't even tear her eyes away from the sight before her to acknowledge his words. She was speechless, and breathless, and she was pretty sure her heart had stopped, too. Inside the velvet case was the most gorgeous jewelry set she'd ever seen: a necklace, earrings, two barrettes, and another little pendant that...well, she wasn't sure _what_ it was, actually. A pin, maybe? Whatever it was, it matched the rest of the set. All of the pieces were made of what looked like silver, albeit a bit lighter in color, and set amongst each piece was an amethyst pendant. The pieces were simple yet classy, being elegant and beautiful rather than gaudy or flashy in design. She gingerly touched the necklace, afraid to mar or break it considering how delicate it looked, then trailed her finger down the chain to the pendant, her eyes narrowing as she noted a leaf-like motif in the chain. And then she took a closer look at the necklace's pendant, then at the lone pendant, then at the earrings and the barrettes and... _no_. Her heart pounded faster; her head felt light. No, these _couldn't_ be in the shape of what her mind was telling her they were...could they?

Her eyes snapped sharply to his, then returned to the pendant, trying to convince herself she was wrong - or maybe rather that she was _right_. "Zelos, is this an...?"

From the corner of her eye, she saw him smile faintly and nod. "Yeah. I can't see them anymore without thinking of you." He paused, his voice lowering. "And I guess I hoped they might remind you of me when you saw them now, too."

Sheena stared at the set another moment, then turned and gaped at him and his crooked, slightly goofy, and surprisingly nervous smile for a few seconds, and finally looked back at the necklace. It was an iris. _An iris_. It was small, but there was no question she'd identified it correctly. It had three petals, each made of a sparkling purple amethyst, with a delicate, central silver piece holding the three gems together, setting the purple off like stained glass. The pendants on the earrings were the same as the one on the necklace, only smaller, as was the single, lone pendant, while the barrettes had two even tinier amethyst irises set amidst the silver, the bottom of each trailing off into a wavy stem etched into the metal.

 _Iris_. Zelos had...he had...oh, Jizou, he had given her _iris_ \- and not just any iris, but the most beautiful iris she had ever seen. Her heart was lodged in her throat; her mind floundered for an explanation. Did he know? He had to know...he _had_ to. But how? How had he figured it out? Had he asked her grandfather? That was the only way he could know to give her something like this, right? But that...that was impossible. There was no way her grandfather told him, and she knew _she_ hadn't. Although with Zelos, she couldn't dismiss the possibility he'd found out through some other means, considering his craftiness and persistence and... _wait_. Zelos had said he couldn't see an iris anymore without thinking of her. He... _oh, Jizou_. She couldn't breathe; her chest felt like it was being squeezed in a vice. He didn't know - he _couldn't_ know - and yet he did. No one had told him - no one _would_ tell him - and yet somehow, maybe without his even seeking it or realizing it, he had still received the message loud and clear.

And that meant...Zelos had given her an _iris_ jewelry set without even realizing how much it meant to her. He'd obviously recognized how much she liked the flower when he'd helped her acquire and plant the ones in front of her house, but it wasn't like iris were the onlythings she'd ever expressed interest in. In fact, iris had probably been the one she'd tried to downplay the most for fear he'd catch onto the deeper meaning behind it. She'd made a far bigger deal out of her love of foxes, and peaches, and other little things. But Zelos hadn't associated _those_ with her; he'd associated the _iris_ with her. And more than just associating it with her, he'd given her _this,_ the most beautiful, perfect jewelry set she had ever seen...her mind couldn't grasp it. And there was no way _he_ could possibly understand how beautiful and perfect it was, either, not without knowing the full meaning behind it - something he simply couldn't know, and that she couldn't tell him, either. It was, in short, the most astounding coincidence she'd ever experienced.

Only one explanation existed for this: fate. Sure, the jewelry set itself was incredible, but the _meaning_ behind it, especially since _he didn't know_ , was infinitely more so. By leading him to give her this _,_ of all possible gifts, fate had to be telling her something. It _had_ to be. And the more she thought about the sheer impossibility of this, the more she had to conclude that fate could only be telling her one thing: that she had made the right choice two weeks ago to cross that line with him and keep pursuing this relationship. It was telling her it was okay for her to keep moving forward with him; in fact, it was implying that she _needed_ to, because it had something different in store for them than she knew yet, something that didn't involve their relationship being ripped apart by her duty to Mizuho. A coincidence this huge...nothing else made sense. After everything they'd been through, the sheer _chance_ behind the circumstances that had placed them on that balcony six months ago and that had led them to this very moment, she couldn't believe fate would be toying with them like this now. The symbolism, the coincidence, the message...they were simply too powerful for this to be a joke that fate was playing on them, one so cruel that they would never recover from it. And that was that.

With every inch of her heart, Sheena hoped that one day she would be able to share with Zelos just how deeply this gift touched her, how incredible it truly was. But until that day came, she had to bite her tongue; no matter how much she wanted to tell him so he could share in her amazement, she just _couldn't_ , just in case she _wasn't_ reading the signs correctly and fate really _was_ playing a joke on them. As unlikely as it seemed, it was a possibility she couldn't dismiss. But if there was one thing she _could_ do now, that fate seemed to have just given her permission to do, it was hope, as she'd never hoped before, for that perfect, ideal future she'd only let herself envision a handful of times. And until proven otherwise, she would put her trust in fate to lead them to whatever endpoint they were supposed to reach. After this, fate had earned her faith.

 _Whatever will be, will be._

"Y'know, I'm really hoping those aren't tears of disappointment in your eyes because you hate it or were hoping for something else..."

"What?" she said as Zelos's voice startled her from her thoughts, and she abruptly looked at him, her eyes widening as she realized his nervousness had now expanded into outright fear. Oh, right. She hadn't indicated yet whether or not she liked it. "No! No, definitely not. It's...it's incredible. It's absolutely beautiful." She let out a soft laugh and rubbed at her face as she realized there really _were_ tears in her eyes. Her voice lowered and she smiled shyly at him. "It couldn't possibly be more perfect."

Instantly, his fear vanished, replaced instead by a hopeful smile. "Really? You like it?"

Sheena chuckled shyly as her gaze fell back to the jewelry set. "'Like' doesn't even begin to cover it, Zelos," she whispered, her voice catching in her throat as the lamplight caught on the amethysts and made them sparkle brilliantly. "I love it. I've never received a present this perfect before." She looked up at him again, relieved to see he was finally starting to relax, his smile broadening and his eyes lighting up. That, too, amazed her - how eager he was to please her. And seeing him happy like this made _her_ happy. "This must have cost you a small fortune."

He shrugged, beaming her a lopsided grin. "Eh, to be honest, I would've happily paid a hundred times more for it if that was what it cost to make you smile. You're worth every gald, Sheena, and then so much more."

She let out a soft, embarrassed laugh as she looked back at the set, blushing, but she couldn't resist nudging him lightly with her shoulder or giving him a stupid smile, touched by his insistence that money meant nothing to him compared to her. "Idiot."

Zelos quickly returned her stupid grin and playful nudge, watching her with soft, loving eyes. "Always." After a moment, he shrugged again and motioned at the set. "I considered going with diamonds instead of amethysts, which would've cost more, but you just seem more like an amethyst girl than a diamond girl. I hope I chose right."

 _Seriously_? "Are you _kidding_? I'd take amethysts over diamonds any day. I love this color."

He chuckled. "Yeah, I noticed. Kinda hard not to when you keep gravitating toward it. I'm just glad I picked correctly."

"Yeah, you definitely did," she murmured, amazed, as always, at how well he knew her. And again, her gaze was pulled back to the impossibly perfect, meaningful jewelry set... _her_ set now, a gift from _him_. "I had no idea they even made anything like this. I sure don't remember seeing anything when we were shopping last week."

"Heh. That's because they _don't_ make anything like that."

Sheena looked back at him and arched an eyebrow as she saw him smirk. "Hate to break this to you, but I hold the proof in my hands that says otherwise."

Zelos shook his head and motioned at the set again, still grinning. "I checked out every jewelry shop in Meltokio, looking for something along these lines, but everything I saw was so wrong for you that I couldn't decide on anything they offered. So then I decided to give it one last try and went to this one jeweler I know and asked him what he could come up with. I dunno, _I_ was happy with the result."

Her eyes widened. Wait, was he saying he hadn't just _found_ this and thought of her when he'd seen it; he'd actually _asked_ someone to make him something in an iris design? And again, the overwhelming weight and beauty of the chance, of the _fate_ , involved in his decision took her breath away and left tears pricking her eyes. "Yeah, me too," she whispered in amazement.

He lightly grazed the fingers of his right hand over her cheek. "It doesn't come close to matching your beauty, Sheena, but at least when you wear it, it shouldn't detract too badly from it, either." Sheena let out another soft, embarrassed laugh, her face growing warm again, and then playfully hit his leg, unable to resist the urge when he said things like that to her - things that were so smooth and charming that she would almost consider them to be fake if not for the soft, loving, deliciously sincere smile that accompanied them. Without warning, though, his smile transformed into a wicked grin, one that warned her he was about to say something stupid. "Besides, after that last knockout of a dress you wore, I need _something_ to focus my eyes on when they start wandering down toward your-" _Agh, this man is an impossible pervert_! Unable to resist _that_ urge, either, Sheena smacked his leg again, harder than before, and he laughed and lifted his hands in the air. "Hey, ow!"

"You idiot," she grumbled, giving him a long-suffering glare.

Despite the glare, though, she was still grinning - a grin she simply couldn't conceal. Zelos didn't talk like that often anymore, especially not in the middle of honest, emotional moments like these, so there had to be a reason for his choice to do so now...oh, right, she suddenly realized, her blush deepening as she caught sight of their audience. She'd actually forgotten their friends were still sitting there, watching them closely - but clearly Zelos had not. Chances were he'd said that solely to get her to smack him, thus giving them the 'show' they wanted. But right now she didn't care about them, and so instead she continued focusing on him and his knowing grin.

After a moment, Zelos reached down and pried the necklace from its holder, then slipped it around her neck, carefully fastening it for her, his gentle touch making her shiver. Jizou, this man was so tactile...and it amazed her that every time he touched her, her body reacted to him this powerfully, making her skin tingle and her heart pound. Once it was secure around her neck, he leaned in and whispered in her ear, "I love you."

Her grin softened into a smile, and she had to fight back the urge to kiss him. If not for his subtle reminder of their audience, she probably would have, with no thought to the consequences. And before he could pull away, she lowered her voice and whispered, "You, too." Sheena leaned back then so she could see his face, and her fingers lifted to the delicate iris pendant sparkling against her chest. "Heh, I almost wish this wasn't so expensive so I could wear it more often than just to a royal party."

"Heh." Zelos grinned broadly as he extracted the solitary iris pendant from the velvet box. "That's what this thing is for."

Sheena's eyes narrowed as he held it up in front of her. "What is it?"

"Well, since I knew you couldn't wear anything fancy on a regular basis considering your daily profession as an ass-kicking ninja, I thought I'd throw in something you could wear a little more often," he explained. "This is just the pendant. You can do whatever you want with it - put it on a cheap necklace, loop it through your ribbon, make a bracelet or a pin out of it, turn it into a key ring...the choice is yours."

...Oh, Zelos. Tears pricked her eyes again, and she bit her lip to hold them back, touched by the gesture. He really had thought of everything, hadn't he? And yet again, she was awed by how well he knew her, how perceptive and thoughtful he was...how much he loved her. She looked back down at the pendant, already knowing what she was going to do with it: turn it into a bracelet and wear it as a good luck charm, as an amulet of sorts, as a way to keep him close to her at all times, as a reminder of the beautiful hand of fate that had led him to give her this, and as a symbol of protection, not just for _her_ , but for _them_.

"Thank you, Zelos," she whispered, giving him another shy, happy smile.

He grinned broadly, trailing his fingers over her cheek again. "I'm just glad you like it."

Sheena couldn't resist any longer; audience or not, she wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug that he immediately returned. A moment later she released him, lifted her lips to his ear, and whispered, in all honesty, "One day I hope I can tell you just how much I do."

He didn't understand that, she could tell as she pulled back and saw his narrowed eyes searching hers, clearly curious what she was talking about, but Sheena just smiled again. That was okay; he wasn't supposed to understand it yet. One day, though, if fate led them to the point she now had hope it would, she would make sure he did. And until that day came, she would leave it at that and let him wonder.

Zelos opened his mouth as if to say something, but before he could, Colette clearly couldn't remain silent any longer. Eyes wide and mouth slack-jawed as she observed Sheena's necklace, she whispered, "Wow, Sheena. That's really, _really_ pretty!"

Sheena smiled and, blushing, held up the iris pendant so Colette could see it better. "Yeah, it is, isn't it?" She cast another appreciative glance at Zelos. "Never let it be said this guy doesn't have excellent taste."

Zelos grinned and nodded proudly. "Damn straight, I do."

That time Sheena didn't bother smacking him, nor did she look to see how their friends were reacting to this because, well, if she knew, her courage in continuing their gift exchange would most likely falter. Even from a quick glance at Colette, though, she could tell the others appeared to be confused - well, except for Regal, who looked more amused than anything, a fond smile toying on his lips.

Quickly looking back at Zelos, she gave him another grateful, happy smile, then grabbed her present for him and held it up to him, grinning excitedly. She couldn't wait to see his reaction to this. "Okay, your turn."

For a moment he just eyed the present, then he eagerly snatched it from her, held it up, and gently shook it before giving her a wicked grin. "Damn, it doesn't shake. And here I was hoping you were sending me a sign by giving me some bottles of those paints..."

Glaring at him, Sheena smacked his arm, her blush flaring. "Yeah, right. Keep dreaming." She quickly lifted a finger as he opened his mouth. "And don't you dare answer that!"

"Fine, fine," he replied, chuckling, then looked back at the present, turning it over. A moment later, he smirked at her. "Let me guess - Sebastian, right?"

Her eyebrows rose as she mirrored his knowing smirk. "What, you really think I wrapped this thing myself?"

He snorted. "Well, it wouldn't look like _this_ if you had." Without warning, his eyes snapped back to hers. "And just when were you at my mansion to have him do this?"

Sheena grinned broadly. He would be so proud of her if he knew how carefully she'd planned that, keeping track of all the times he'd be out - once visiting his sister, and two times meeting with the king - so she could take care of his present. But he was kidding himself if he thought she would tell him _that_. "That's my little secret, and I'm not telling."

Zelos shook his head incredulously, but then he sighed and waved that off with his hand. "Fine, be that way. I tell ya, you ninjas and your secrets..."

And _still_ the man made no move to actually _open_ his present - he just turned it over as if trying to see through the paper. Finally, impatience got the better of herand she lifted her hands in the air. "Agh, will you quit stalling and just open it already!"

He laughed again, then glanced at her sneakily before finally beginning to tear into the paper, less neatly than she had. Once he'd pulled it off, revealing the frame beneath, he turned it over to the picture side. Sheena bit her lip as she watched him, her cheeks warm, relieved to see a smile slowly appear on his lips, then quickly expand into a broad grin. Oh, yeah, the sparkle in his eyes told her that not only did he recognize the moment captured there - that moment, all those months ago, when that reporter had followed them into the woods on their first date and taken pictures of them during one of most meaningful kisses Sheena had ever received - but that he liked it as much as she had.

For a long moment, Zelos just looked at it, grinning stupidly, but then his eyes suddenly snapped to hers, narrowing suspiciously. "Okay, you _know_ I'm gonna ask how you got your hands on this, right?" He quickly lifted the picture to his chest as Lloyd hopped up on his knees, trying to peek at it, but his gaze never left Sheena's as he said, "Uh uh. Not a chance, bud."

Sheena returned his grin slyly. "Yeah, I know."

Zelos's eyebrows flew upward. "Oh, I don't think so, sweetheart. _'I barbecued and ate him'_ won't cut it with me this time."

She gave him an innocent look. "Hey, he hasn't bothered you since then, has he?"

"No, he hasn't - and I can't thank you enough for that, by the way - but that has nothing to do with this! _This_ ," he held up the picture, "isn't something that magically appears on your doorstep in Mizuho one morning!" Well, no, it wasn't, but she wasn't going to tell him that, either; the man was perfectly capable of figuring it out for himself. She grinned smugly and shrugged - and, as expected, only a second later, his face lit up in understanding. "You _stole the camera_ from him?"

Sheena tilted her head and touched a finger to her lips, pretending to seriously consider that. The innocent act was getting extremely hard to maintain. "Well, I didn't _steal_ it, per se. I didn't beat him up to get it, either. In fact, I never even _touched_ your creepy stalker. I just asked for it - _nicely_ , mind you - and he gave it to me. Really!"

Zelos stared at her a moment, but then he let out an incredulous laugh, his eyes widening further. "Sheena, what did you _do_ to him?"

Oh, all right, she would tell him. She would consider it to be part of his present. She summoned the most innocent look she could manage. "Well, I may have, oh, scared him a little with just how much information my people had learned about him and then informed him if he didn't want me telling your hunnies there were pictures of you naked in the shower on his camera, that he should hand it over. Oh, and I may have threatened to sic the Mizuho Information Network on him for compromising our ability to do our work by putting so much attention on you and, therefore, on _me_ unless he stopped selling stories about you to the paper, but the threat about your hunnies was what got me the camera. In fact, he was so understanding and apologetic for causing us such problems that he handed me the camera as a present!"

For a long moment, Zelos just gaped at her, disbelief and amazement written on his face, but suddenly he burst into heartwarming laughter, to the point of laughing so hard that he actually had to wipe at his eyes with his hand. "Oh, Martel, you ninjas really _are_ crazy! And you say _I_ am unbelievable!" He shook his head, struggling to control his laughter as he watched her smiling oh-so-smugly. "Oh, my dear, I had no idea I was rubbing off on you so much." Without warning, he waggled his eyebrows and beamed her a crafty grin. "I am _such_ a horrible influence on you, aren't I?"

Sheena rolled her eyes and smacked his arm, but there was no way she could hold back her grin. "I should've known you'd find a way to take credit for this."

In response, his grin just broadened further - and a second later, his eyes widened in realization. "Wait...so does that mean you got the _entire_ camera from him?"

"You bet I did," she said, nodding smugly. "Sebastian helped me figure out how to view the pictures and get this one developed."

The crafty glint returned to his eyes. "There aren't really pictures of me naked on there, are there?"

Unfortunately - or perhaps _fortunately,_ considering how thin her resistance was wearing at times - there weren't, but she wasn't about to tell _him_ that, because she knew _he_ would never tell _her_ if their positions were reversed. She shrugged. "That's for me to know, not you; _I'm_ the one with the camera, and do you really think I would tell _you_ something like _that_?"

Zelos smirked wickedly. "Admit it - you just want to keep the camera to yourself so you can look at all the pretty pictures of me, don't you?"

Oh, leave it to _him_ to make such a suggestion _._ And while he was right, because she _had_ had other pictures developed so she could flip through them whenever she missed him - another thought that made her blush - she really _had_ had other reasons for that rather than just to lust over him. Like making sure _he_ didn't steal the camera so he could lust over _her._

Sheena rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Yes, that's it _exactly_."

His eyes widened and he motioned at her with his free hand. "Hey, you could at least share the other pictures of _you_! As pretty as I may be, I don't need to stare at myself all day - especially when I'm sure he took plenty of pictures of you before you confiscated his camera. I mean, you _had_ spent three weeks trying to hunt me down before that. And seeing all those lovely pictures of you...well, I think you know where I stand on that."

Her blush deepened. _Uh uh. Not gonna happen, buddy_. While yes, there were way too many pictures of her on there, she'd rather swallow the camera than let _him_ get near them. Her reasoning behind keeping the camera out of his grubby little hands was the same now as it had been then: didn't he ogle her enough when they were together? She didn't want to know what kind of perverted things he'd get up to if he had _pictures_ of her so he could ogle her when they _weren't_ together. Although she had to admit, the pictures of him _were_ very pretty, hence why she'd developed so many. Zelos was extremely...what was the word? Photographic? Photogenic? Not that that surprised her since he really was a gorgeous man.

But for now, this picture would suffice. It was the best picture of the two of them together, one she'd made a copy of for herself, too. There had been a lovely one taken a second after this, too, of the actual kiss they'd shared before hearing the camera - a picture she'd also had developed - but she'd liked this one a little better. It had been taken at the perfect moment, with their heads leaning toward each other, right before their eyes had closed and their lips had met, with the lush green forest framing the shot. That whole night was one of her favorite memories, actually - and the smile that had appeared on his face when he'd first seen the picture confirmed it was one of his, too. She'd really liked the one the reporter had taken of the surprise kiss Zelos had planted on her in the upper class section of Meltokio that one morning to give their onlookers 'something worth looking at,' too, but this one was her favorite. It was too bad that guy had been so annoying, butting in on their private moments like that, because he was an excellent photographer.

But she wasn't going to share those other pictures with him yet. No, for now she would continue hiding them because, knowing Zelos, he would steal the camera from her and she'd never know it. Instead, she motioned at the framed picture in his hands. "And just what do you think _that_ is?"

He held it up, his blue eyes softening. "This? This is the best New Year's present I've ever received. In fact, I'm thinking this is the best present I've _ever_ received, actually."

"Really?" Sheena asked, sincerely surprised. He'd been receiving gifts from everyone - friends, family, acquaintances, and women alike - for years, some tasteless and some thoughtful and priceless, and yet the warm, happy look in his eyes told her he meant that, even though it was just a simple picture. "I know it's not much, and it's not nearly as fancy or expensive as the gifts you usually get, but..."

Before she could even finish, he pressed a finger to her lips, silencing her, then leaned closer, so much love shining in his eyes that it took her breath away. "Sweetheart, I would've been more than happy just with that trip to Altamira. And then to add _this_ to it? To be honest, nothing else could come close to being this special. It's the thought that counts, not the cost, and this...this is perfect. This is one of my favorite memories, ever, and to have something tangible to remember it by...you couldn't have given me anything better." Without warning his entire face lit up. "And your hair is even down in it!"

"You and my hair," she grumbled half-heartedly, her face growing warm again as she rolled her eyes and shook her head. "I will never understand your obsession with it."

"Eh, that's okay, you don't have to," he said, grinning broadly again. "As long as you let me see it down every now and then, I'm happy."

"We'll see." But Sheena already knew she would, because she _liked_ seeing him happy, and she knew he knew that, too, so she saw no further reason to dwell on that.

Zelos trailed his fingers over her cheek, his eyes soft. "So no more uncertainty, okay? This is the most unexpected, amazing gift I've ever received." Sheena watched him again, but still she saw no sign of dishonesty on his face, and finally she smiled shyly and nodded, eliciting an even brighter smile from him. "In fact, I already know where I'm gonna put this - right beside my bed so it's the first thing I see in the morning." He tilted his head, his eyes narrowing slyly. "Although now I really _am_ curious about any other pictures he took of you..."

Yeah, she'd been afraid of that. She arched an eyebrow. "If you think I'm handing that camera over so you can find out - keep dreaming, buddy."

Instantly, he smirked wickedly and waggled his eyebrows. "Of you? Oh, believe me, my dear, I do. All the time. And probably not how you want me to."

Agh, this man was _impossible_ \- and ridiculously predictable about _being_ impossible. Sheena had learned months ago never to say anything like that to him, and yet she still occasionally slipped and he always came back with something stupid and perverted. Her face flared and she elbowed him, giving him a half-hearted glare. "Idiot."

Zelos chuckled again, but instead of responding, he pressed a kiss to her cheek...and her eyes slid shut, her stomach twisting into an excited knot as his lips lingered on her skin. All this man had to do was touch her or kiss her and she melted into a puddle of goo - and now, knowing how happy her gift had made him, and especially after the beautiful sign from fate in his gift to her, was no exception. Idiot or not, she loved this man so much it hurt.

After a moment, he moved his lips to her ear and whispered, "Thank you."

Sheena nodded and gave him a shy, happy smile that he quickly returned. She was debating pulling him to her and kissing him senseless, needing to quell the ache building within her, when, without warning, Regal coughed softly. Thankfully, the sound was enough to jolt her back to the reality of where they were...and who was watching them. With a low, reluctant sigh, she finally turned and looked at their audience. Lloyd and Genis were, unsurprisingly, gaping at them from where they sat by their feet, even while Colette was watching them with a brilliant smile, to all appearances on the verge of bursting into happy song at the sweetness of their gifts. Raine was watching them through narrowed eyes, Presea's head was tilted and her face reflected bemusement, and Regal had a faint but pleased and almost _smug_ smile on his face. Oh, yeah, this was going to be _so_ much fun.

Following her gaze, Zelos sighed, his smile transforming into a wry grin. "All right, let's get this over with," he said, pulling back from her to face their audience. "You guys can speak again, so someone just ask the question already."

Before anyone could, though, Sheena dismissed that with a wave of her hand, ignoring how warm her face felt. "Eh, don't bother, Zelos. Yes, we are."

Still, however, no one replied, although Sheena could see the light bulb going on for Raine, who nodded her head curtly as if to say, _'As I expected,'_ and Genis, whose expression was turning into one of horror. After a moment, though, Lloyd said, "Uh, you are...what?"

Zelos groaned, his head sank downward, and he smacked his palm to his face. "Please tell me he did _not_ just ask us that."

"Oh, yeah, he did," Sheena replied, giving Zelos a wry grin and poking his arm with her finger. "And _you_ were worried about a certain someone." His only response, though, was a soft snicker, and finally Sheena turned back to the others. Agh, this was weird - and the blank stares Lloyd, Presea, and Colette were giving them were kind of embarrassing, too, because after what they'd just seen, she couldn't believe they _still_ hadn't figured it out. Seriously, didn't the past fifteen minutes speak for themselves? Was it really _that_ weird for them to be together? "Zelos and I are dating. We're a _couple_ now."

She watched them another moment, waiting, as Zelos wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer, her nervousness rising and her blush deepening at the uncomprehending stares still being leveled their way. "Well, this is awkward," he murmured.

"No kidding." Finally, her patience couldn't take it anymore and she motioned at them again. "Well, come on! Somebody say something!"

Thankfully, that broke the stunned spell that had fallen on them, for Colette squealed, her face lighting up. She jumped up, knelt on the couch beside Sheena, and gave her a big hug. "Oh my gosh, that is _so_ exciting! I'm so happy for you two!" Releasing Sheena, she leaned over her to give Zelos a quick hug, too, smooshing Sheena into the couch.

"Oof!" Zelos said, pulling a face that Sheena suspected mirrored her own at the awkward hug, but now that Colette had responded as hoped, Sheena was already relaxing. Zelos patted Colette on the back with the hand not still wrapped around Sheena and then grinned as she pulled away, beaming happily. "Thanks, angel."

Colette looked like she was on the verge of dying from sheer happiness overload. "Oh, you two are so cute together!"

Zelos turned to Sheena and grinned. "Did you hear that, love? We're _cute_. Personally, I was going more for smokin' hot and irresistibly sexy, but..." Sheena rolled her eyes and, still blushing, smacked his leg, hard enough to stop him before he went too far off the deep end. "Hey, ow!" he said, giving her an indignant look. "I was gonna say 'cute' works, too!"

"Behave yourself." Sheena let out a soft laugh, though, as Colette squealed again and gave her another hug, one so tight and excited that Sheena wondered if she should worry about being squeezed to death. "Thanks, Colette," she gasped, then took in a deep breath and grinned as Colette released her again. "We're happy, too."

Along the back wall, Presea smiled. "I am pleased for you both as well."

"As am I, but you already know that," Regal added, giving them a knowing smile.

"Yeah, we do," Sheena said, breathing a sigh of relief as she cast another glance at Zelos, who was grinning again. Oh, thank Jizou. At least _three_ people were on their side now to help them deal with the _other_ three. "Thanks, guys."

...And now to _deal_ with those three. On the floor in front of them, Lloyd shook his head in obvious shock, even while Genis just sat there gaping at them, his expression one of stunned horror, and Raine continued watching them through narrowed eyes. "You're kidding, Sheena, right?" Lloyd finally said, motioning at Zelos. "I mean, _Zelos_? _Really_?"

Zelos huffed. "Hey, what's with this incredulousness, bud, huh? You make it sound like it's impossible for any hot chick to ever fall for me-" Sheena groaned and jabbed her elbow into his side, making him jump again. "Hey, ow! That was a _compliment_ , love!"

...Oh. Right. She supposed it was. Sheena beamed him a cheeky grin. "Whoops, sorry. My elbow slipped there. Every time I think you might be starting to dig your own grave, it seems to act on its own."

He snorted and arched a disbelieving but amused eyebrow. "Uh huh. Suuuuure it does. You've got a trick elbow there, don'tcha? Crafty little devil, ain't it?"

Sheena beamed him an even brighter grin. "Yep!"

"Sheena...I'm with Lloyd here," Genis finally said, his face still aghast as he motioned at them. "Have you _completely lost your mind_? He's...he's _Zelos_!"

Her smile softened as she turned to Zelos - a smile he quickly mirrored. "Yes, he is. And I wouldn't want it any other way." Zelos grinned again and drew her closer, pressing another kiss to the side of her head.

Genis quickly covered his face with his hands. "Agh, my eyes, my eyes! No more kissing!"

Sheena scowled and shook her head. _And let the disbelief and teasing begin_. She should've known Colette, Presea, and Regal's positivity wouldn't help enough. And while she knew how crazy it looked - she _did_ , because if the woman she'd been six months ago could see her now, seriously dating _Zelos Wilder_ , she'd be thinking the same - hadn't Zelos proven himself to be worthy of their admiration? Seriously, the man had changed - well, in certain ways, at least, even if he was still a perverted idiot, but still, those areas were significant! Why couldn't everyone see that?

Zelos, likewise, growled and rolled his eyes at Genis's comment, but before he could retort, Raine cleared her throat and leaned forward. "May I ask how long you two have been together? Based on the nature of your gifts and the way you're acting toward each other, I'm assuming it's more than just a date or two."

Thankfully, Zelos relaxed and grinned again. "A little over five months."

" _Five_ _months_?" Genis exclaimed, lowering his hands and gaping at them. "He's kidding, right? _Right_ , Sheena? Tell me he's kidding!"

Sheena shrugged. "Sorry, Genis. He's not kidding."

Genis looked from Sheena to Zelos, who just continued grinning smugly, and then back at Sheena. "He's an idiot! He's a womanizer! He's a traitor! And you're _dating_ him?"

The urge to dismiss all of those - except the idiot one, of course - in an effort to save face was nearly overwhelming, but she bit her tongue, because disproving them would mean not only betraying his secrets, but making him uncomfortable in the process. He'd always had a hard time being praised. Instead, she looked at Zelos, smiled again, and stated, "Yep, I am."

Genis blinked at her another moment, but then he folded his arms to his chest, leaned back against the coffee table, and looked away, muttering, "You really _have_ lost your mind."

Sheena released a low sigh, wishing she had a surefire way of convincing them that when it came to Zelos, looks really were deceiving. "No, Genis, I haven't. I know how crazy this looks - believe me, I do - but I haven't. Not by a long shot."

"Wow," Lloyd said, shaking his head in amazement as he continued staring at them. "That's just...I still...I can't believe you haven't _killed_ him yet, Sheena!"

Zelos groaned and hung his head, shaking it forlornly. "Y'know, the utter lack of confidence in me here is depressing."

Sheena reached up and grasped his hand with hers, giving it a tender squeeze. "Eh, don't listen to them, Zelos. I know better."

He beamed her another soft smile. "Thanks, sweetheart."

Genis watched them darkly another moment, as if they'd both grown another head, then motioned at her. "Sheena, you were always the one I could count on to keep this guy's stupid comments and skirt chasing in line, and now instead of setting him straight when he acts dumb, you're _dating_ him? What happened to you? What did he do, hypnotize you? Brainwash you? Drug you? Get you _pregnant_?"

Zelos had been doing fine during Genis's tirade - one of the most obvious displays of jealousy Sheena had ever seen, undoubtedly because _Zelos_ , someone he'd deemed to be a philandering idiot, had a serious girlfriend while _he_ did not - until that last accusation left his mouth. The instant it did, though, Zelos bristled, his jaw clenched, and his entire body tensed. For a moment, Sheena gaped at Genis, stunned - a sentiment clearly echoed by their friends since silence fell on the room - but before she could recover enough to respond, Raine reached down, grabbed the nearest book (the hefty _Woodcarving Through the Ages_ tome she'd given Presea), and threw it at Genis, smacking the back of his head.

"Genis!" she hissed.

"OW!" he cried, lifting his hand to the back of his head. " _Raaaaine_! What was _that_ for?"

"That was _completely_ uncalled for," Raine snapped.

Finally regaining her senses, Sheena's hands instinctively clenched into fists. Of all the insults she'd expected, _this_ had _not_ been one of them. " _No_ , he did _not_ get me pregn..." Okay, so as much as she needed to smack him for suggesting that, he was still a kid and she wasn't a child abuser, so she had to soften the blow somehow. Spotting the pillow she'd given Genis tucked between Zelos's leg and the armrest, she pointed at it. "Zelos, could you hand me that pillow, please?"

"Of course, love." His voice was low and strained...and almost as dangerous as the glare he was giving Genis, but Sheena could barely register that through her own fury.

"Thank you." She took it from him and smacked Genis over the head with it, hard, causing him to cry out and lift his hands over his head. "You deserve that. Be glad it was a pillow, not my fist."

"Think you could throw in one for me too, please?" Zelos said lowly.

"Gladly."

Lifting the pillow, she smacked Genis's head again, making a point to make that one even harder, eliciting an even louder, "Ow! Hey!" from him.

"Genis, that was very mean," Presea stated, the girl's normally impassive voice betraying a hint of irritation.

Genis's eyes widened and his face fell as he immediately glanced back at Presea, making Sheena inwardly smirk. Good. He deserved to feel guilty for that - and the best part was that his 'dream girl' had just called him on it. "I...I'm sorry, Presea."

" _Presea_ isn't the one to whom you should be apologizing," Raine countered.

For a moment, Lloyd just eyed Zelos closely, clearly seeing what Sheena was: Zelos, a man who was nearly impossible to anger because of how easygoing and good-natured he was, was livid. If Genis had meant what he'd said as a joke, then one look at Zelos made it clear he had _not_ taken it as such but rather as an especially cruel insult. "I hate to say this, Genis, but I agree with everyone else," Lloyd said, shrugging. "The way you said it was pretty bad."

Regal bowed his head. "As must I, Genis. What you said was very rude."

"Me, too, Genis," Colette said, her voice soft. "I don't think anyone appreciates comments like those, especially when they were said like that."

Lloyd looked back at Zelos, then at Sheena, and motioned at her. "I mean, you're really not pregnant, Sheena. Right?"

Beside her, Sheena could feel Zelos tense further, and it was only then, as Zelos turned his glare to Lloyd, that she realized _how_ upset he was - and, more than that, _why_ he was so upset - and that simple fact alone was enough to curb her own anger. In all the years she'd known him, she had never seen him truly angry before, the closest being that time he'd gotten frustrated with her and dragged her through the Otherworldly Gate, but she could tell if it continued escalating, nothing good could come of it. In fact, unless this ticking time bomb was deactivated soon, it could explode and ruin the entire night.

It felt weird to suddenly be the calm one while _he_ was the angry one, but she had to do something. Turning to him, Sheena lightly rubbed his leg, trying to get his attention. "Hey, calm down."

His eyes were still focused on Lloyd and his voice still radiated barely restrained fury and tension as he said, "Sorry, sweetheart, but that's one of my..."

She quickly nodded. Accusations of impregnating a girl was probably the biggest 'hot button' Zelos had, especially after what had happened with that Shirley girl, an incident that had scarred him permanently and stopped him from sleeping around with _anyone_. He had major issues with that, hence his impressive restraint since then to make sure nothing like that happened again. And then to be accused of it with _her_ , someone he had more than proven his good intentions toward? She could understand his anger, and she shared in it, too; after all, it questioned him, his integrity, and his maturity, not to mention it insulted him by saying he was a pathetic loser who couldn't get a girlfriend unless he seduced her using his Chosen One charms and accidentally - or, worse, _intentionally_ \- got her pregnant. But what Lloyd - and especially Genis - hadn't considered was that it insulted _her_ , too; it assumed she would sleep with any guy, even someone she couldn't stand, and, worse, that if she did, she wouldn't be careful about it. She wasn't sure which insult would upset Zelos the most individually, but then to put them together like this? Talk about a horrible idea. No wonder it was pushing him over the edge.

"I know," she said, lowering her voice and leaning closer so only he could hear her. "But you and I know better, Zelos. Lloyd doesn't know why that upsets you so much, and I'm sure he didn't mean it like it sounded. And Genis is just jealous because you have someone who loves you while he can barely even work up the nerve to talk to the girl he likes without stuttering. Be the better man and let this go."

For a long moment, he continued glaring at Lloyd and Genis, leaving Sheena afraid he wouldn't be able to stop himself, but finally he took a deep breath and nodded - a little too curtly yet, but it was a step in the right direction. "Fine. I'll try. But only because you asked me to."

Sheena offered him a faint smile as his eyes darted at her, his face still stony. "Thank you." Her eyebrows rose as she turned back to Lloyd, but it was hard to be mad at him when she knew he'd asked the question out of sincere curiosity, not to insult them. "To answer your question - no, I'm not pregnant. And I'm not taking any drugs, nor have I been brainwashed or hypnotized, nor am I crazy, either. I know what I'm doing, and believe me, I'm with Zelos of my own free will."

Genis's head sagged downward. "Oh. S...sorry, guys. I shouldn't have said that."

No, he shouldn't have, but the damage was done. Sheena glanced again at Zelos, but he still wasn't smiling as he continued watching Genis, and her heart sank as she realized that whether Genis had meant to insult them or simply hadn't realized how his cruelly words had come across - which she was starting to suspect was the case seeing as his apology _did_ sound sincere - he'd just lost a lot of Zelos's trust. And if there was one thing she'd seen pretty clearly when it came to Zelos's dealings with others, it was that once he lost trust in someone, it was hard for them to win it back. It was hard enough to gain Zelos's trust at all - she could vouch for that considering how hard she'd had to fight to wheedle down his walls and gain enough trust for him to be open with her - and then to lose whatever he had like this...it would probably take Genis a long time to win it back. And the thing was, Sheena really _had_ been insulted herself, so she couldn't even blame Zelos for getting so upset about it. At least for as wary as he still was, he _had_ finally started relaxing a little.

Turning back to Genis and Lloyd, she gave them both another annoyed, impatient look. "Look, if you guys really can't believe it, then ask Regal. He can vouch for us."

Lloyd and Genis looked at each other blankly, but then they turned toward Regal, who smiled. "Everything they have said so far is true."

Colette tilted her head curiously. "Regal, you knew?"

"Yes, I did. I ran into them three months ago at the Princess's birthday party in Meltokio. At the time, they had been dating two months, so five months now is correct."

Lloyd gaped at him. "I can't believe you knew and didn't say anything! This is _huge_ news!"

Regal shrugged and lifted his eyes to Sheena's, giving her a reassuring smile. "They asked me to keep that information to myself for the time being, so I did."

"And you didn't try to talk Sheena out of dating _him_?" Genis said, motioning at Zelos with his thumb.

"Y'know, I'm sitting right here, brat," Zelos said coldly, glaring at the back of Genis's head.

"Yeah, so?" Genis said. "Just because Sheena is dating you of her own free will still doesn't make her any less crazy for staying with you so long."

Zelos growled dangerously again. "And this conversation is _exactly_ why we weren't gonna tell you guys about this tonight."

Seeing another verbal sparring match starting, Sheena reached over, grabbed Zelos's free hand, and laced her fingers through his to tell him he should ignore Genis. At least Regal was on their side - and as she'd hoped, he spoke up again in their defense. "Believe me, Genis, I initially felt the same, but I discussed my doubts and concerns with Sheena and she assured me this was what she wanted, that she had originally had the same doubts and concerns I did, and that none of them had proven founded. To be honest, the very fact they are still together now negates any fears I might have still had about their relationship. And you must admit, the Chosen has certainly proven himself in his actions since our journey ended; his choices have been impressive, commendable, and admirable. I am convinced this relationship has been extremely good for them both."

Sheena finally smiled again. She was starting to think their run-in with Regal at that party was one of the best things that had happened to them, because this conversation would undoubtedly have been even worse had they not had the backing of one of the most rational, level-headed people here. Hopefully that would silence Genis before Sheena lost her own restraint and _made_ him shut up. Thankfully, Zelos seemed to think the same, for she could feel him relaxing again as he pulled her tighter against him, resting his head against hers. He actually felt a little warmer than usual - probably again, she figured, out of embarrassment and awkwardness because he wasn't used to anyone sincerely extolling his virtues like this. Jokingly, yeah, or when they were being over-the-top and fake about it, because that he could respond to with the infamous, arrogant Chosen One mask, but _sincerely_? He honestly didn't know how to react to it - something Sheena found to be incredibly endearing.

"Thanks, Regal," she replied when she realized Zelos wasn't going to say anything.

Regal shook his head, his smile broadening. "You need not thank me, Sheena. I merely speak the truth about what I have witnessed."

"Well, I agree with Regal," Colette said, her face lighting up again. "I think it's wonderful you're together! You may not have always gotten along during our journey, but I always knew if you worked out your differences, you'd be really great together! It was obvious you two cared a lot about each other...even if you had an unusual way of showing it."

Sheena let out a soft laugh and leaned further into Zelos, who in turn tightened his grasp on her. Yeah, 'unusual' was one way to put it. But like Zelos had once said, there really was nothing _normal_ about them - and that was exactly how Sheena wanted it to be. "Thanks, Colette," she said.

Finally, she could see the shift occur in Lloyd's eyes as he looked at them, transforming from disbelief into genuine happiness that quickly manifested itself in a broad grin. "Well, I'm still having trouble wrapping my head around it, but I really am happy for you, too. I think it's great you guys worked everything out despite how you used to treat each other!"

She could feel Zelos's eyelashes flutter against her skin as he blinked, but then he tilted his head a little, his uncomfortable silence finally breaking. "Thanks...I think?" he said.

Without warning, Colette pointed at the picture facedown on Zelos's lap. "Um, Sheena, could I...could I see the picture you gave Zelos?" she asked hopefully.

Sheena glanced at Zelos curiously, and after a moment, he shrugged. "If you're okay with them seeing it, then I'm okay with it." He gave Genis another glare. "Just so long as _he_ doesn't start giving me any more grief about it."

"Let him try it," Sheena replied, grinning smugly at Genis. "He'll find out firsthand what types of methods ninjas use to shut people up."

Genis's eyes widened and he lifted his hands. "Okay, okay! I won't say anythingI promise."

She shrugged, accepting that. There was no reason to keep belaboring the point; he'd been sufficiently scolded, and he'd now promised to keep his mouth shut. Besides, she really did want the night to get back on track. "Works for me."

Zelos handed her the picture, and Sheena held it up so Colette, who was now sitting on the armrest of the couch, could see it. Unsurprisingly, the second a big, sappy smile appeared on Colette's face, Lloyd jumped up and rushed over to stand behind her, peering over her shoulder at it. "Oooh, look at them, Lloyd!" she said, taking the picture from Sheena. "That is so sweet! It gives me goosebumps seeing them like that!"

"Heh, we gave her _goosebumps_ , love," Zelos murmured.

Sheena's blush deepened and she shivered as his lips grazed her ear. Thank Jizou, he was regaining his earlier happiness; she could hear it in his voice and feel it as his lips tugged upward into a smile. "I guess so."

Lloyd, too, grinned at the picture. "Wow, that's a really nice picture. When was it taken?"

"Five months ago on our first date," Zelos said.

Colette nearly squealed in excitement. "Where did he take you, Sheena?"

Heh. So Colette was a romantic at heart, eh? No surprise there. "Well, we were _supposed_ to go out to dinner, only my meeting with the king that day ran late, so instead Zelos took me on a picnic to a really nice spot near Meltokio."

Colette grabbed Lloyd's arm. "Oh, a picnic, Lloyd! Doesn't that sound so romantic?"

Sheena nearly burst out laughing at the blush that appeared on Lloyd's cheeks and the way his eyes widened, and she could feel Zelos grinning where his face was pressed against hers. Nope, they definitely hadn't started dating yet...and yes, Lloyd still loved Colette. Knowing Lloyd, the thought of actually acting on his feelings probably hadn't even crossed his mind. "Y...yeah, it does!" Lloyd said, letting out a nervous laugh as he rubbed the back of his head. Unsurprisingly, he quickly turned back to Zelos and Sheena. "So, ah, who took the picture?"

Zelos snorted, and Sheena couldn't help chuckling at the memory, glad she'd now shared it with him. "This creepy little stalker - oh, excuse me, _gossip reporter_ ," she rolled her eyes, remembering how vehemently the idiot had insisted he a _reporter_ , "who followed Zelos around and tried to take pictures of him to sell to Meltokio's newspaper." She motioned at the picture in Colette's hand. "A few seconds after he took that picture, we heard him take another one and finally realized he was there."

"And then Sheena... _took care of him_...for us," Zelos said, grinning proudly. "He hasn't bothered us since."

Sheena returned his grin. "That's because he doesn't have a camera to bother us _with_."

Zelos waggled his eyebrows, his blue eyes sparkling. "Heh. I _will_ get my hands on that thing and see all those other pictures."

She arched a challenging, smug eyebrow. "You think so, huh? I'd like to see you try."

"Don't underestimate me or my patience and persistence, sweetheart," he replied, smirking wickedly. "One day when you're least expecting it..."

Sheena rolled her eyes and nudged him with her elbow, unable to restrain her laugh. "Ignore this idiot. In any case, we had a great time that night, even with his stalker interrupting us."

Zelos nodded, then grinned and lifted his head proudly. "And none of our dates since then have been too shabby either, if I do say so myself."

"No, those haven't, either," she said, giving him a soft smile. "I know _I've_ always had fun, no matter what we were doing." Returning her smile, he pressed another tender, lingering kiss to the side of her head.

For a moment, Lloyd just watched them, smiling in amazement. "Wow, that's really cool, guys. I didn't realize dating could be so much fun!"

Instantly, Zelos froze, then he pulled his lips from Sheena's cheek and gaped at Lloyd, his eyebrows flying upward. "Are you _serious_? You didn't think a date could be _fun_? I mean, seriously, if you and your date aren't having a good time together, then what's the point?"

Sheena shook her head. Talk about clueless naïveté. Hadn't Raine taught Lloyd _anything_ about dating? And again, she couldn't believe she'd once had a crush on him - someone who hadn't even realized a date could be _fun!_ "I think I'm afraid to hear what you considered a 'date' to be before this, Lloyd," she said.

His face went blank. "I dunno. I just thought it was a guy and girl sitting around, talking and trying to figure out if they got along and liked each other and had anything in common. It just seemed like everyone was always getting so nervous about going on a date when I'm _always_ doing that with my girl friends, and without any nervousness!"

...Oh, Jizou. For a moment, Sheena could only gape at him. In his world, going on a date meant just _sitting around and talking?_ While yeah, those times could be lovely, some of the best times she and Zelos had had together hadn't even involved talking, rather just enjoying being with each other, or holding each other, or dancing, or touching, or kissing even! And, if it weren't for Mizuho's restrictions, they would undoubtedly be enjoying...something else...that didn't involve much talking, too.

"You thought...oh, you've gotta be kidding me!" she exclaimed.

Zelos sighed and shook his head. "Lloyd, man, that is really, _really_ sad."

"Well, that was my impression from the way people talked about it!" Lloyd countered, but then he sat down on the floor again and shrugged. "Hearing you guys talk about doing other stuff makes it sound like something I should try sometime, though."

Zelos's eyebrows rose even further, but without warning, he beamed Lloyd a wicked smirk - something that told Sheena he was about to venture into 'stupid Zelos' territory. "Y'know, bud, if you're really interested, you could always tell _your_ dream girl how _you_ feel about her, and then you _could_ give the whole 'dating thing' a try, too." He turned his eyes to Genis, his grin becoming a wry glare, and lightly kicked Genis's leg. "Same goes for you, twerp. Maybe you'd be more pleasant to deal with if you told _your_ sweetums how you feel about her instead of getting _jealous_ over those of us who are way past that stage."

Genis folded his arms to his chest and glared at him, an amusing blush forming on his fair cheeks. "Just because you're dating Sheena now doesn't make you any less of an ass than you were before."

Zelos smirked. "Heh. At least I _have_ a girlfriend, which is more than _you_ can say..."

Agh, this idiot just couldn't leave well enough alone, could he? Sure, he was right, but still, why rub salt on the wound? Sheena smacked his leg, giving him a pointed glare to warn him not to incite another argument. "Okay, that's enough, you two. Don't make me put you in separate corners."

"Wouldn't bother me," Genis muttered under his breath.

"Me, neither," Zelos likewise muttered.

Sheena released an exasperated sigh and threw her hands in the air. "Zelos!"

His eyes widened, but then he gave her a sheepish smile. "Heh. Sorry, love. I'll be good."

Colette gave Sheena the picture back and sat down by Lloyd again, looking at him with confusion, maybe even _alarm,_ on her face. Lloyd's face, on the other hand, was as red as his shirt, and he was remaining conspicuously quiet, as if he'd hoped everyone would forget what Zelos had hinted at. Colette, however, tentatively ventured, "Lloyd, who is your 'dream girl'?"

Instantly, Lloyd's eyes widened, and his face grew even redder as he looked back at Zelos. "I...I have no idea who you're talking about, Zelos."

"Yeah, suuuuure you don't," Zelos replied, his wicked smirk returning. "I could give you a hint, if you need it. She's about five foot two and has long, blon-" Okay, _that_ was enough of _that_ , Sheena decided, smacking his side to stop him. "Ow!" He turned to her, wide-eyed. " _Now_ what?"

She gave him a pointed look. "Oh, hush, you. Like _you're_ one to talk!"

His face went blank. "What? I told you!"

Sheena grinned wryly and poked his chest. "Yes, you did, but you told me in such a roundabout way that it took me, like, _five minutes_ to figure out what you'd just said! And then, topping that off, you _ran away from me_ after you did! I spent _three weeks_ trying to track you down to clarify that you'd really said what I'd thought you'd said!"

"I went on a trip with my sister!" he countered, lifting the hand not around her back defensively. "That hardly counts as _'running away from you,'_ love." He paused, his voice lowering and his brows furrowing. "Besides, I thought you were gonna beat me up again!"

...He thought she would _what_? "You thought I would beat you up for _telling me you loved me_?" she said, gaping at him. "Why in Tethe'alla would I do that?"

Zelos blinked at her innocently. "Well, it wasn't like it would've been the first time you'd ever rejected my advances! And to be honest, I...I didn't think I could handle another one when I'd actually been serious about it that time!"

Sheena sighed and rolled her eyes, but her smile was back, too. As ridiculous as that was, that he'd been afraid, _that night,_ that she would beat him up after the humbling level of openness and honesty and _trust_ he'd displayed in her, she couldn't deny that made sense, why he'd left so quickly after dropping such a huge bomb on her, connecting _her_ to that mysterious woman he'd said he loved. And really, she was impressed he'd just told her _this_ ; he had never admitted how nervous he'd been that night of her response to him before - and if he'd been nervous _then_ , then he must have been terrified when she'd shown up at his mansion that afternoon he'd returned to Meltokio. And then to tell her this in front of an audience? She couldn't help but think they really had entered a new phase of their relationship two weeks ago, one where he was completely comfortable being with her and trusted her on an emotional level with things like these, far more than he ever had before. Maybe that incident stemming from his 'jealousy' over her old crush on Lloyd would prove to be one of the best things that had happened to their relationship after all.

But she didn't need to point that out; that was one thing she was best off keeping to herself, because she knew he still felt awkward and embarrassed that that incident had happened at all. No, instead - because they _did_ still have a captive audience - she would keep it light yet honest. "I rejected all your advances before that because you always acted like an idiotic, arrogant jerk who was only out to play games with my heart! Believe me, Zelos, I never would've beat you up when you were actually being _serious_ with me!"

"And how was _I_ supposed to know that at the time?" he countered.

"I...don't know!" Her eyes narrowed as something struck her. "Wait...why are we arguing about this?"

Zelos blinked at her, clearly caught off guard. "I...don't know. Why _are_ we arguing about this?"

That...wasn't an answer! "I asked you first!"

His eyebrows flew upward and his lips curled into a smirk. " _'I asked you first'_? And you call _me_ childish."

Agh, she should've figured he'd come back with something that completely derailed her train of thought. "Yeah, well, that's because you are," she muttered, but she was helpless but to grin as his smirk softened into a loving smile. "Idiot."

He chuckled softly, then shrugged. "Regardless of how it all played out, at least I _told_ you, even though I really hadn't planned to tell you any of that. Hell, I'm _still_ not sure how you got all of that out of me! You're lucky you got what you did!"

Sheena softened further, her grin melting into a smile. "Yeah, I am, and believe me, Zelos, I know it. You have no idea how glad I am that you _did_ tell me what you did that night."

Zelos's grin, likewise, softened further. "Yeah...me, too." He watched her a moment, his loving, happy smile making her heart skip another beat, but then, without warning, his eyes snapped to Lloyd, who was still watching and listening carefully. Zelos's eyebrows rose and he pointed at him. "Which just goes to show why you need to _tell_ your dream girl how you feel about her if you want anything to come of it." He turned back to Sheena and beamed her a goofy grin. "There. How's _that_ for coming full circle with this conversation?"

Sheena sighed and rolled her eyes, but she wouldn't argue any further. While she never would have told Lloyd this as directly as Zelos had, especially with Lloyd's 'dream girl' sitting right beside him, listening in sincere curiosity and alarm, undoubtedly worrying that the man she loved had a 'dream girl' who wasn't her, she couldn't deny what he'd said, either. "Sorry, Lloyd, but he does have a point," she said, shrugging before giving Zelos an irritated glare. "Even if he has a questionable way of making it."

"Hey, just being honest and telling it like it is, sweetheart," Zelos said, giving her a deceptively innocent look that would be far more effective if Colette's eyes weren't still so wide with fear. "You know as well as I do that some people are simply incapable of recognizing anything 'subtle' unless it smacks them in the face." Sheena snorted but couldn't deny that; that was, after all, an understatement when it came to Lloyd.

Colette turned her big, round eyes back to Lloyd. "Lloyd? Who are they talking about?"

Lloyd let out a soft, nervous laugh and rubbed the back of his head as he turned to her. "Heh...I'll, uh, I'll tell you later, Colette, okay?"

She blinked at him a few times, then smiled hesitantly. "O...okay."

Grinning, Zelos pointed at her. "Don't let him forget, Colette, because I suspect he'll try to."

Sheena sighed and shook her head at her idiot boyfriend's inability to recognize when to quit, but Colette just nodded brightly. "Don't worry, I won't!"

Lloyd smiled awkwardly. "R...right."

Sheena nudged Zelos with her elbow. "There, are you happy now?"

"Extremely!" he said, beaming her a broad, smug smile. "Gotta share the love, right? Why should we be the only ones here enjoying being in love?"

"Idiot," she murmured, rolling her eyes again, but she was unable to resist chuckling at the sheer happiness radiating from him. That was Zelos in a nutshell, though: he usually had great intentions when dealing with people; he just had a bizarre, twisted way of turning those intentions into reality. And in this case, she could see he really did want to 'share the love' and give two clueless lovebirds a little push to find the same kind of happiness he'd found with her. How could she be pissed about that?

Silence finally settled upon them, but it only lasted a moment before Raine cleared her throat and rose to her feet. "Well, now that everyone has opened _all_ of their presents and we've uncovered a few secrets in the process, would anyone care for dessert?"

Unsurprisingly, Lloyd, Colette, and Genis immediately cheered, while Zelos, Sheena, and Presea nodded eagerly. Sheena was just glad to see that Genis, like Zelos, seemed to be relaxing again, even if he was continuing to avoid looking at her and Zelos. Heh, poor kid was probably regretting having voted 'yes' to making them open their presents now rather than a 'no.' "I believe that sounds appropriate right now, Raine," Regal said.

"That's what I thought, too." Without warning, Raine's eyes snapped to Sheena, and she gave her a pleasant smile that contrasted sharply with the calculating look in her eyes. "Sheena, would you mind giving me a hand in the kitchen getting everything?"

For a moment, Sheena blinked at her, surprised, but then it hit her what Raine was doing: not just asking for assistance, but indicating she wanted to speak with her privately...most likely about Zelos. And really, Raine _had_ been unusually quiet the past few minutes - and if there was one thing Sheena knew, it was that Raine had an opinion about everything. She was just far more tactful about expressing it than her brother was.

As uncomfortable as she was about being alone with the older woman and undoubtedly getting an earful about her choice in dating the 'perverted womanizer,' she couldn't say 'no' because doing so would mean turning down a request for help. _Yep, Raine is even craftier than Zelos at times_ , she thought, sighing. "O...of course, Raine. I'd be happy to help."

Setting the velvet jewelry box on the coffee table, Sheena made to follow Raine into the kitchen, but before she could stand, Zelos lightly touched her back, drawing her gaze back to him. "You gonna be okay?" he whispered, the concern on his face indicating he, too, had realized Raine's true intent.

Another glance at the kitchen door showed that Raine had already disappeared inside, and Sheena sighed, giving him a faint smile. "I'll be fine. Besides, I can't tell her 'no,' can I?"

Zelos chuckled, his eyes, likewise, darting at the door. "No, I guess not." Looking back at her, he grinned wryly. "Apparently now you get to deal with the _other_ Sage sibling."

"I guess so." A moment later, she arched an eyebrow and pointed sharply at him. "Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone, okay?"

He grinned and playfully bowed his head to her. "Yes, ma'am." To her surprise, though, a second later he mirrored her arched eyebrow and pointed look. "You either, okay?"

Her eyes widened, but she couldn't deny that his warning was justified. Even she knew how vicious her temper could be when she was feeling defensive. She wasn't surprised he didn't want anything like what had happened between him and Genis to happen between her and Raine when no one was there to calm her down. Giving him another smile to convey her understanding, she pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. "I'll try." Zelos nodded, accepting that, and then she stood and headed for the kitchen, picking her way through all the wrapping paper scattered on the floor.

Reaching the kitchen, Sheena sighed as she saw Raine leaning back against the table, her arms folded to her chest. Fortunately, Raine waited until Sheena had closed the door before saying anything. "Sheena, what do you think you're doing?"

Sheena sighed again, her irritation rising at Raine's scolding tone. _Let the grilling begin_. But before it started, she needed to make one thing clear, for Zelos's sake - and for her own, too. "First of all," she began, lowering her voice so she wouldn't be hypocritical, "if you're implying what I think you're implying, then keep your voice down, okay? If Zelos wanted to, he could hear everything we say here, and I don't want him hearing this."

Raine's eyes narrowed. "The door is closed. How could he?"

She really didn't know, did she? Sheena's frown deepened. _Looks like Zelos was right about that, too_. "Angel senses like Colette's. Ring a bell?"

Raine's eyes narrowed further. "Are you saying he underwent the angel transformation?"

Whoops. She shouldn't have said that, because that was Zelos's business to share, not hers, but it was too late now; she'd forgotten how quickly Raine could piece things together. Not that she thought it would upset him, given the circumstances. At this point, though, there was no reason not to be honest; if she didn't answer, Raine would ask Zelos about it to his face, and that would be worse.

"Yeah, he did," she said, choosing her words carefully. "That's what happens when the Chosen equips their Cruxis Crystal; it starts the transformation process, whether they want it to or not." Sheena frowned and shook her head, her emotions jumping between disgust, anger, and sadness at the confirmation that they really _hadn't_ cared enough to ask Zelos the effects his Cruxis Crystal had on him once he'd equipped it - and the worst part was that she'd been just as guilty of that as the rest of them. But still, at least she _had_ eventually asked. "None of you even considered that possibility, did you?"

"No, we didn't," Raine murmured. "But you're right, we should have."

"Too late now," Sheena muttered, folding her arms to her chest. "And for the record, Raine, whatever you have to say about the fact I'm dating Zelos, I don't want to hear it. I've heard it all from Orochi already, and nothing you say will change my mind. He's not the man you think he is. He's not a playboy or a philanderer, he didn't 'wear down my common sense' or 'seduce me with his charms,' and I'm not pregnant because you can't get pregnant when you haven't done anything to cause it." Raine's eyes widened, but Sheena quickly went on. "He's a good man; what you saw tonight is far closer to the real him than anything he's ever showed you before. And don't tell me that 'a leopard can't change its spots,' that if he's a womanizer by nature then he'll eventually stray, because it's just not true. Zelos isn't a leopard; he's a domesticated housecat _pretending_ to be one because everyone expects that of the Chosen. Believe me, I've thought all of this through, and I wouldn't have gotten involved with him if I wasn't sure of that. If you're still so hung up on whatever guy once hurt you that you can't be happy for us and insist on believing all men are hopeless, then you're the fool, not me. And don't worry about him breaking my heart. Give me a little credit. I'm an adult; I can take care of myself. If he wasn't serious about this, I would've noticed it and ended it. I can make my own choices. So please, just stay out of it."

For a long moment, Raine just observed her, her eyes cold and her arms folded to her chest, but finally she tilted her head. "Actually, Sheena, I wasn't going to say any of that."

...Wait, what? She wasn't? That caught her off guard and diffused her anger, replacing it with embarrassment at having ranted like that if Raine really _hadn't_ been about to say any of that. Her eyes widened and her face fell. "You...you weren't?"

"No, I wasn't," Raine stated, eyeing her carefully. "Regardless of what you think my opinion of him - and of men in general - might be, even I can tell when a man is making a sincere effort to become a better person. Rather, I was going to ask if your situation in Mizuho was still the same or if you had been relieved of your obligation to become chief."

"O...oh." Wonderful. She really _had_ misinterpreted Raine's intent and ranted over nothing. Her face grew warm and her gaze fell downward. "N...no. I'm still becoming chief there."

A single white eyebrow rose upward. "So I assume the other requirements of becoming chief are likewise still the same?"

Oh, _crap_. And just like that, Sheena could see where this conversation was _really_ going - a direction that actually alarmed her far worse than her original interpretation had. She _had_ told Raine about that, hadn't she? That when she became chief, she would have to be married, and that her future husband would share in her responsibilities? When her grandfather had named her his successor, Raine had expressed her fascination with Mizuho's rites and requirements of succession and had asked for the details, and Sheena, thinking nothing of it at the time, had told her everything. _Everything_.

"Y...yeah," she whispered.

Raine nodded curtly. "So where in this future do you see Zelos?"

Sheena swallowed hard, still unable to meet Raine's eyes, frantically searching for an answer to convince them both...yet coming up empty because she didn't _have_ a convincing answer. Sure, she knew what she wantedto believe, that fate had a promising future in mind for them, but she didn'tknow that for certain. That future, after all, was an unknown, one no amount of imagination would let her envision or define - a far cry from the crystal clear future of herself becoming Mizuho's chief that she dreaded would happen.

"I..." she began, but the words caught in her throat. "I..."

"You don't, do you?"

Crap. Raine was _not_ supposed to be asking about this; she was supposed to be poking at things Sheena could actually address and dismiss! "I...I'm not sure yet."

Raine hummed softly, clearly expecting that, then lifted her head. "Does _he_ know that?"

Crap, crap, _crap_. There was no way out of this, was there? Raine was too observant and crafty to be fooled. "N...no. And he isn't going to."

"Does he at least know about the marriage requirement before you become chief?"

Sheena nodded and wandered over to the counter, folding her arms together and leaning back against it, getting the feeling she would need its support to get her through this. "Yeah, he does."

Raine cocked her head again, her eyes narrowing further. "And yet you haven't told him the truth - that you would never choose him to be the man who would become your husband and help you lead Mizuho."

In the blink of an eye, her fury flared again, not only that Raine had brought up this subject at all, one that touched on every fear she had about the future, but that she was being so direct and presumptuous about it. She had _no right_ to question her choices like this, not when she didn't know everything they'd been through, everything Sheena knew, everything she'd considered and worried about and struggled over regarding this very subject since the moment she and Zelos had started dating and that she hadn't seen any ray of hope for until tonight when Zelos had given her the jewelry set. It took all her willpower to remind herself to take a deep breath, count to five, and keep her voice down - something she especially had to do now that their conversation had taken _this_ route, one she _really_ couldn't let Zelos overhear because this was something she simply couldn't discuss with him.

"That's because if it were up to me, I _would_ choose him to be that man," she said once she was sure she could control her voice, for the first time recognizing how sincerely she meant that...and how easy it had been to say, as if she'd just now consciously recognized a truth she'd known all along. "We may have only been dating five months, but I know without question how good of a man he is; he's loyal, and giving, and smart, and kind, and caring, and determined, and he does an excellent job with whatever he does. That's something I can't imagine ever changing, not even if it means dealing with what I will in Mizuho. You know I'm telling the truth about that; heck, you just admitted you were impressed by how he's changed for the better the past few months!"

"Yes, I did," Raine quickly replied, nodding once, but her face was still as harsh as ever. "He loves you, Sheena; I won't deny that. Only a man who wants to please a woman he truly loves would do everything he has. I figured there had to be something more going on that explained everything he's done since the worlds were reunited; I just never figured it was because he had fallen in love with you. And he loves you quite deeply, too, if your implication that he hasn't pursued sex with you because of that _other_ requirement for Mizuhoan women is any indication."

...Oh, right, Sheena had mentioned that 'sexually pure' requirement to Raine, too. "Yeah, he does. I have no doubts about that. And I love him, too."

Raine's frown deepened. "I believe you _think_ you love him, but I'm not convinced of that yet myself." Sheena's lips parted and she gaped at Raine - how could she even _question_ that? - but before she could respond, Raine went on, "While you may _claim_ you would choose him to be your partner in leading your village, would your people? And please don't tell me you haven't considered that, because I won't believe you if you do."

Sheena opened her mouth to respond, but her confidence wavered and she shut it again, thinking of how Orochi kept trying to have Zelos banned, of all the wary glances Zelos received there, of how her people went to her grandfather and asked why he tolerated Zelos's presence there, what Zelos's ulterior motive was for being there, and if Sheena was considering marrying him. And the thing was, she'd seen Zelos's discomfort enough to know their distrust bothered him, too. She wanted to say her people would welcome him, but they were too wary of him because of the foreign ideas, worldliness, and overtly sexual reputation he brought with him to like or trust him. And Zelos...well, he still found their customs and traditions to be crazy, and if she'd learned one thing about him, it was that if someone didn't like or trust him, then he didn't like or trust them, either. She _thought_ that dislike and distrust might have eased a bit the past few months, seeing as she hadn't heard quite as many complaints about him lately - which could mean anything from that her people had given up trying to get rid of him to that they were getting used to him being there and were reluctantly tolerating him - but even if that was true, acceptance, on both of their parts, definitely wasn't there, not by a long shot, and it likely never would be.

"I...I don't know," Sheena finally admitted, her voice and eyes lowering.

"Mm. And what about Zelos? Would _he_ choose that kind of life for himself?"

Sheena swallowed hard, her heart sinking further. Would he? She was afraid she already knew the answer. "I..."

"Based on what I saw tonight and what I know about him and his penchant for living in the moment instead of considering the consequences of his choices, I suspect he would," Raine said. "And a marriage between you two would never survive it; he would never be happy there, and eventually, he would do whatever it took to escape it. I know what kind of man he is, and so do you. He's a free spirit; tying him down to one place, making him commit his life to one woman, goes against his very nature. He's enjoyed a life of luxury since the day he was born; Mizuho is the opposite of what he's accustomed to. He might have become a far more respectable man the past few months, but that doesn't mean he could suddenly embrace such a lifestyle. Even if he asked you to marry him, marriage wouldn't change those facts. Don't delude yourself into thinking it would."

The words twisted painfully at her heart. She disagreed that Zelos was solely a 'live in the moment' free spirit incapable of committing to anyone; that was just part of his Chosen One act, to manipulate people into believing he was a carefree drifter and playboy who loved everyone and everything, and his carefully designed and executed Grand Master Plan for his life and his complete devotion to her and his disinterest in his hunnies these past few months proved it. But the rest of what Raine had said _was_ right: Mizuho wasn't a place Zelos would willingly choose to live, and even if he did, he would never be happy there.

"I...I know," she said, her voice falling further. And she truly _did_ know - and that was what terrified her most. Even if she believed Zelos would marry her, and even if she thought he would be great for Mizuho, she could never let it happen. She could never ask him to do that for her, to give up everything he knew, move to Mizuho to be with her, and become the chief's consort, and even if he offered, she could never _let_ him do that for her, not when she knew it would make him miserable and force a lifestyle and responsibilities onto him that he didn't want and wouldn't have to deal with otherwise...responsibilities similar to those he'd spent his life trying to be rid of as the Chosen. She couldn't, and she already knew that.

Raine sighed lowly, then motioned at her. "If you really care about him, Sheena, then why haven't you talked to him about this? Why haven't you told him how uncertain you are about your future together? Why are you still pursuing this relationship when you already know what the future will bring you both?"

The answer came to her in a mental flash of the iris set he'd just given her. Sheena lifted her fingers to her necklace and tightened her hand around the pendant, holding onto the hope it had brought her earlier that she desperately needed now. It was telling her something; she knew it was. It _was_ a sign from fate; as she'd determined earlier, it was the closest she would ever receive to permission to keep moving forward with Zelos, despite how the future looked. Giving their relationship a chance to become something more was what she was _supposed_ to be doing. There was no other explanation for the iris pendant hanging from her neck, and she refused to lose sight of that, no matter what Raine said.

Taking a deep breath, Sheena met Raine's eyes again. "I'm pursuing this relationship because I love him, because he loves me, and because I believe that no matter how unlikely it might seem right now, fate has something different in store for us. Even if I can't see it yet, I believe there's a place for him in my future."

Raine's eyes narrowed sharply. "And yet after everything you just admitted to me, can you really tell me if things play out as they are likely to, you still see a future with him? And no more wishful thinking, Sheena."

Sheena opened her mouth to respond, but then she closed it again, biting back a growl of frustration. No, of course she didn't; as much as she wanted to believe otherwise, as many times as she went over it all looking for a loophole that would save them, she couldn't deny that he didn't belong in Mizuho. But saying that out loud, giving her fear a level of reality she was afraid she couldn't handle, was something she'd never been able to do, and now was no exception.

After a moment, Raine sighed again, her face sinking. "You don't," she murmured.

But Sheena refused to leave it at that, because there _was_ more to this situation than Raine knew, and the iris in her hand proved it. Zelos didn't know how meaningful this set was, and neither did Raine; that was one thing Sheena _hadn't_ told her. She took another deep breath to bolster her determination, reminding herself that if this wasn't a sign from fate, then nothing was, and that if she ignored it, then _she_ was the real fool here.

"Like I said, I'm not sure yet," she said, releasing the necklace and folding her arms to her chest again. "That's different than an outright 'no.' And the bottom line is I've made my choice, Raine, and I'm not giving him up if even a slight chance remains that that future won't happen. Everything can change overnight; who's to say that won't happen with this? I'm giving fate a chance to show me what it has planned for us before I end something we both cherish; I refuse to believe everything that's happened has been for nothing. The future isn't written; just because we _think_ we know what's coming doesn't mean it will. I mean, look how we changed the course of this world; by doing something no one else thought could be done and reuniting two worlds kept apart for thousands of years, we proved the future _can_ be changed. All the planning in the world can't guarantee it'll turn out a certain way; until it's actually happened, anything can wreck those plans. After everything we went through, can you really deny that?"

"Of course I can't," Raine replied tersely. "But I also can't assume the future _will_ deviate from its most likely course. Sometimes it does, but more often than not it doesn't."

"I know," Sheena whispered, her determination faltering a little. Oh, how she wished that wasn't true...but it was. The future was far more likely to go the route she expected it to rather than veer off on a previously unpredicted course. But this iris jewelry set couldn't mean _nothing_ , either. And really, what was Raine suggesting she should do, just dump Zelos here and now because their future was unknown? Even if she wasn't going to become chief, the future would _still_ be a giant unknown for them; every couple faced the 'what does the future hold for us?' question eventually, and she had no doubt she and Zelos would one day, too. "But it's too late for me to back out now. I can't, not without breaking his heart in the process. I've already crossed the line past the point where I could've safely done so."

Raine sighed and shook her head, her voice rising. "And yet if the future plays out as it's most likely to, the end result will still be the same, only it'll be far worse than it would have been otherwise because you'll have led him on for so long and made him believe you have a future together when you don't. I'm sorry, Sheena, but I can't approve of this."

 _She_ _couldn't approve of this_? And what made her think Sheena _wanted_ or _needed_ her approval? Sheena had expected Raine to try to convince her Zelos didn't deserve a second chance, not _this_ , butting into her business and calling her on choices she had no right to speak about! "I never asked for your _approval_ , Raine. Don't think I haven't struggled over this, because I have, pretty much every day since we started dating. But in the end, I made my choice, and nothing you say will change that."

"You made the choice to give him false hope," Raine stated, her face growing even colder. "You made the choice to be selfish and set the both of you up for emotional devastation. You made the choice to play with his heart. Mark my words, Sheena, if you continue moving forward with him, it _will_ end badly for you. _Extremely_ badly."

Agh, Raine wasn't listening to a word she was saying, was she? "No, I'm _not_ playing with his heart! How could I be when I love him just as much as he loves me?"

Raine pushed herself away from the table and stepped closer to her, her eyes sharp. "Yes, Sheena, you are. I don't know what you consider 'playing with someone's heart' to be, but this matches _my_ definition of it, especially if you haven't even told him any of this! I can't believe he hasn't thought about the future; even if you haven't talked about it, trust me, he has. All men do, for good or bad, especially when they know something is hanging over their heads like your becoming chief is for you. Chances are your refusal to break off your relationship has told him there's a chance you'll run away to be with him, and that's why he's still with you. If you would actually _talk_ to him about this, you would know that."

Damn it. And again, Sheena knew she was right; Zelos probably _was_ thinking something like that. But she just _couldn't_ talk to him about this, not when she already knew what his answer would be and, therefore, what would follow it: a messy, devastating break-up. The very thought of it, of having to let him go because even _he_ admitted if she became chief that they had no future together, terrified her to no end. One day she would realize she couldn't ignore reality any longer and would have to face it...but then again, maybe she _wouldn't_ if fate had a different direction in mind for them. And the possibility that there _was_ a different direction for them...hope was an incredibly powerful thing, and she would do whatever it took to keep it alive as long as she could, until no more hope remained.

The worst thing about this conversation, though, was that she hated being told what to do, and right now, even if she knew Raine was right, that hatred was what Sheena would latch onto. "Don't talk about this as if you know everything, Raine, because there's an awful lot you don't. And it's that stuff you don't know that's led me to make the decision I have. I love him, and he loves me. So stay out of it. It's _our_ business, not yours."

Raine sighed in growing exasperation. "Sheena, I'm only saying this because I care about you both. I may not be that man's biggest fan, but even I don't want to see him hurt, and especially not how you're going to. Like it or not, he _is_ quite obviously trying to be a better man, and more than likely it's because of you, because he wants to please you."

Now that simply wasn't true. "It's not just for me. Zelos isn't doing anything he didn't want to do before we started dating; he _isn't_ becoming someone he's not just to please me, and I'm certainly not _forcing_ him to act this way. Everything he's done, the choices he's made...it's because he wants to. The man he's becoming isn't someone new; it's who he's always been, who he's always _wanted_ to be - someone respected, someone accepted, someone who isn't treated as if his existence is a joke. Why do you think he's fighting so hard to get rid of the title that's been dragging him down his entire life?"

"No, I suspect you're right about that," Raine said. "He may have acted like a shallow, pompous, insensitive, traitorous philanderer during our journey, but there were enough moments of intelligence, sensitivity, and sincerity there to confirm that the man we're seeing now has always been there, even if we never saw him this clearly before. But like it or not, Sheena, you _are_ responsible for giving him the incentive to show us that man now. That's why I fear what will happen to him when you're forced to end your relationship. It could completely devastate him."

Sheena sighed, her gut twisting painfully. Raine was right about that, too. It probably _would_ devastate him, especially after everything she'd told him two weeks ago, after that trip to Altamira, and then after giving him that picture tonight, all of which sent a clear message that she wasn't going anywhere. Maybe crossing that line, especially as directly as she had, really _had_ been a bad idea.

"You're right," she murmured, unable to look at Raine. "It could."

Raine nodded knowingly. "Then quit using him to fill the hole left in your heart by Corrine and Kuchinawa. Quit using him to escape your responsibility to find a proper, willing, accepted spouse for yourself for when you become chief." ...Wait, what? Sheena's eyes widened. Was that really what she was doing, grasping onto the first man who entered her life, whether he was right for her or not, and trying to run from her duties to Mizuho again? "The truth is, Sheena, _you_ aren't the one I'm worried about being hurt most when this falls apart. _He_ is." Without warning, her eyes narrowed. "Or is this a new form of punishment for how he used to treat you? Revenge, conscious or not, for all the thoughtless things he once did to you, perhaps?"

In the blink of an eye, her anger flared again, even more fiery than before. How could Raine even _think_ that? "Just who do you think I am?" she countered, struggling to keep her voice to a mere hiss. "I'm not _that_ cruel, especially toward someone I love!"

"Oh, you're not?" Raine replied, her eyebrows flying upward again. "Because from what I can see, there's nothing crueler you could do to him than this, leading him on by making him believe you see a future for the two of you when you don't!"

Agh, this woman could be so _presumptuous_ and _self righteous_! "What kind of twisted world do you live in where you think loveis cruel? What would be _cruel_ is lying to him and telling him I don't love him and want nothing to do with him when that's simply not true!"

"You keep saying you love him, Sheena, but I'm still not seeing it," Raine countered. "If you truly do love him, then why are you leading him on when you already know how it will end? Why aren't you _talking_ to him about it, at least letting him know what you suspect will happen and that you're concerned about it? Why aren't you giving _him_ a chance to say whether or not he wants to let 'fate' decide your future? You may hope the future will be nice and give you the happy ending you want, but life and fate are rarely that kind to us, and I'm certain Zelos knows that. Quit thinking only of yourself and your own desires and let him go while you still can, without wrecking all the progress he's made with himself."

Sheena swallowed hard and tore her eyes from Raine's piercing gaze. "Like I said, I _can't_."

"Because you're a foolish, selfish girl," Raine snapped, folding her arms tighter to her chest.

Sheena squeezed her eyes shut, refusing to let Raine goad her, then she took a deep breath and counted to five. She couldn't afford to blow up at Raine, not here, not now, not with their friends - with _Zelos_ \- sitting next door. Screaming would get her nowhere, and she refused to give Raine the pleasure of knowing she'd touched such a raw nerve. The worst part of this, though, was that Raine wasn't telling her anything she didn't already know. She _knew_ Raine was right, and the guilt she'd struggled with for months was proof of it. She really _was_ using Zelos, wasn't she? The way things stood, the future boded horribly for them, and yet she still carried on as if nothing was wrong. And yet she _loved_ him, so much that the thought of losing him was enough to send her reeling into his arms - and she wanted desperately to believe that corny cliché that love could conquer all obstacles, including an insurmountable one like a non-existent future, even more so after the sign fate had just given her. Reaching upward, Sheena grasped the iris pendant again, praying silently for its protection, begging it to get them through this and give them a future worth looking forward to, one that didn't condemn them both to a life of misery.

Thankfully, when she opened her eyes again, she felt calmer and more certain again. "Do you really think I haven't considered all of this already?" she said, keeping tight rein on her voice. "Do you think I haven't realized how hurt he'll be if the future I'm dreading happens? Do you think I haven't been beating myself up with guilt for months knowing what that would do to us? Well, I have. Our relationship wasn't supposed to last this long. When we first started dating, I never expected we'd last beyond a date or two. I never expected to fall this deeply in love with him, or for him to fall this deeply in love with me. I kept expecting us to fall apart, but we never did. And now...now it's too late. If I was going to break up with him, I should've done it five months ago, because now...I can't let him go. I _can't_. We've already crossed that line. I can't back out without devastating us both anymore. And that's why I'm throwing my cards in with fate. I trust it to make sure everything plays out like it's supposed to. Maybe that makes me foolish and selfish, but this is _my_ choice. If it's a mistake, then it's _my_ mistake. If it all falls apart, _I'm_ the one who'll have to live with myself. So please, Raine, while I appreciate your concern, I'm asking you to stay out of this. What's going to happen is going to happen. I'll talk to him about this when I have a clearer picture of what the future holds. And when and if that future I'm dreading becomes imminent, if we haven't fallen apart by then, then I'll do what I have to do. But that's for one day down the road. It won't happen today, and I refuse to wreck the love and happiness we've found together unless I'm absolutely certain no other option exists."

"So this really is serious for you," Raine murmured, shaking her head sadly, her face softening. "I was afraid of that. But you do realize the day will come when you can't put off dealing with this any longer, don't you? Eventually, 'one day' will become 'today.'"

"Believe me, I know," she whispered, her gaze falling to her hands. "And I really do wish this decision was that easy, but it's not. I shouldn't have let myself fall for him, but I did. I shouldn't have let him fall for me, but that happened, too. And whatever may still happen, I don't regret getting involved with him. Maybe I should, and maybe one day I will, but right now I don't. Fate is trying to tell me something, and I'm giving it time to prove it's right. Like Zelos always says, _'Whatever will be, will be_.'"

Raine watched her a moment, considering that, but before she could reply, the door swung open and Colette poked her head inside. "Is everything okay in here? The guys are getting restless, chanting that they want their pie!"

Sheena sighed, suddenly feeling shaky, not just at the sudden interruption but at the sudden disappearance of her anger, leaving in its wake fear and uneasiness. Despite that fear, though, she still offered Colette a faint smile, not wanting to dampen the girl's cheery mood. "Yeah, Colette, everything's fine," she said, realizing she was still clutching the iris pendant like a life preserver. "We just got a little distracted."

Without warning, Colette smiled excitedly and hurried into the kitchen, the door swinging shut behind her as she threw her arms around Sheena, squealing in delight. "Oh, Sheena, I'm so happy for you! You and Zelos are so cute together! And you're so good for each other, too! I can see it in you both!"

As shaken as she was, Sheena still smiled, a little more broadly than before, and returned Colette's hug. Raine might not be convinced Sheena was making the right choice, and she had good reasons not to be, but at least _someone_ was sincerely happy for her, and that knowledge alone bolstered her determination. "Thanks, Colette."

After a moment, Colette pulled back, still beaming, and looked at Raine, who likewise offered her a smile. "Can I take something out for you guys?"

"Of course, Colette," Raine replied. She walked over to the counter and counted out plates, silverware, and napkins for everyone, then she handed them to Colette. "Could you take these, please? Sheena and I will bring the desserts."

"Okay!" Colette said, taking them from Raine and then heading toward the door. "I'll let them know you're coming." The door clicked shut behind her, but not before Sheena heard her utter, "Whoops! Oh, no! I dropped the forks! I'll pick them up!...oh, wait, Lloyd, isn't this that hammer you lost last week? I wonder how it got under the coffee table!"

Sheena chuckled at the latest display of Colette's fortuitous clumsiness, but her smile quickly faded as Raine touched her arm, her voice lowering and her face growing somber again. "Sheena, please don't misunderstand my intent. I truly am glad to see you so happy, and I'm glad to see him happy, too. Obviously you have been good for him; the results speak for themselves. I suspect Colette is right as well about how good he's been for you; you, too, are far calmer and less...angry...than you were before. As cynical and practical as I may be, even I cannot deny that love can bring out the best in people, and that seems to be what is happening to you both. For both of your sakes, I sincerely hope the future - or fate, or divine plan, or whatever you choose to call it - does have something better in store for you than what I fear it does."

And finally, Sheena relaxed a little. _Oh, good. No more arguments._ She appreciated Raine's effort, but she was also glad the disturbing interrogation was over. "Thanks, Raine," she said, giving her a faint smile. "So do I."

Raine gave her arm a reassuring squeeze, then she returned her smile and pulled away, heading back to the table, picking up one of the two pies Genis and Colette had made and handing it to Sheena. "Then come on. Let's get these kids their pie before they get impatient and revolt against their 'dessert oppressors.'"

Sheena's smiled broadened, and she nodded and took the pie from Raine, then headed back to the living room where, unsurprisingly, Lloyd and Genis cheered upon seeing them. She was still disturbed, especially by Raine's accusation that she was using Zelos to fill a hole in her heart and escape her responsibilities, but the instant Zelos smiled and slipped his arm around her as she retook her seat beside him and her gaze fell on the jewelry box on the coffee table, she reaffirmed her decision, feeling her concerns melting away. Raine might be right, and hearing her point out all the doubts she'd had rattling around in her brain for months made those doubts feel more real, but she truly wanted to give fate a chance first. If this jewelry set was any indication, fate really was telling her something about Zelos and their future. And that was why she needed to be _absolutely sure_ she was making the right choice before she ended this. Because if even the slightest chance existed that one day she might be able to share with him how special, how meaningful, how _incredible_ his gift to her was, she wanted to take it. She wanted to see the smile of amazement light up his face as he realized the truth, about how carefully fate - or some grand, divine plan, as Raine had called it - had guided them to that moment. And none of that was possible if she listened to logic and ended this relationship prematurely, so 'cruel,' 'selfish,' and 'foolish' or not, she wouldn't. She couldn't. Her heart wouldn't let her.

Regal took one of the knives Raine handed him and began cutting the first pie - cherry, naturally, Sheena noted with a small smile, glancing at Colette, who had baked it. She watched them a moment, but then sank happily into Zelos's embrace as he pulled her against him, his warmth further soothing her concerns. And oh, was she glad she could enjoy it now instead of having to hide it from their friends.

"Everything all right, sweetheart?" he whispered, trailing his lips up her neck to her ear.

Sheena shivered at his warm breath in her ear and nodded, then pulled away enough to give him a smile. "Yeah, everything's fine." And while there were people around, they were all currently concerned with the dessert, so she took advantage of their distraction to lower her voice and whisper to him, "I love you, Zelos."

Instantly, his face broke out in a warm, happy smile. "I love you too, Sheena." He glanced briefly at their friends, then gave her a mischievous grin and pressed a tender kiss to her lips. Only a moment later, though, they both broke apart and rolled their eyes as Genis started whining that they should wait with such 'disgusting displays of affection' until they'd left, even while Colette squealed about how 'romantic' it was. And then Presea was handing them plates with pie on them, and everyone started arguing about whether such romantic displays were 'welcome' or not, with everyone trying to convince Lloyd to either grant or deny permission, and Lloyd decided to take his decision _very_ seriously and hear both sides of the argument before he made a decision.

Sheena was sure it would take at least half an hour for Lloyd to make up his mind, but she really didn't care, because for the moment, she was warm in her boyfriend's embrace, she was with dear friends, and she'd just received the best New Year's gift imaginable, one that gave her hope for a future she actually wanted. What could possibly be better than that?

0~*~0


	4. The Deadline

**Part 4: The Deadline**

The sound of birds chirping in the forest around Lloyd's house was Zelos's first inkling of how late - or, rather, how _early_ \- it was. For awhile the previous night, he'd considered trying to get some sleep, but he'd quickly dismissed that thought when he'd found himself lying on Lloyd's couch with a sleeping Sheena stretched out on top of him. Well, not _entirely_ on top of him, more like _half_ on top of him, but close enough. She was tucked into the corner between his left side and the back of the couch, her head and hand resting on his chest and her leg curled over his, his left arm cradling her to him. Last night while they'd all been talking, she had laid her head on his shoulder and started dozing off, and he, wanting her to be comfortable, had roused her enough to try to get her to lay down on the couch while he took the floor so she could sleep comfortably, but instead of agreeing, she had sleepily muttered something about how warm and comfy he was (even turning down his offer to steal her a pillow with a surprisingly lucid, " _Who needs a pillow when I have you?_ "), and so instead he'd maneuvered them like this.

Needless to say, the moment she'd fallen asleep, he had decided this was the perfect opportunity to test out his angelic, decreased need for sleep and to instead stay awake, enjoy their intimate position, and think a few things through. Granted, it would be better with fewer clothes, but, well, that wasn't going to happen with everyone else asleep in the same room, some (like Regal and Raine) stretched out in chairs while the rest were lying on the floor (like Lloyd and Colette, who had naturally curled up together on the other side of the coffee table) beneath some blankets Lloyd had brought them when their party had turned into a sleepover. Besides, how could he complain about the overabundance of clothes when this amazingly sexy yet oh-so-cute sight of his beautiful girlfriend was incredible enough?

The only other time he'd been able to enjoy anything like this had been their vacation to Altamira, when they'd been forced to share a room, and he'd been able to watch her sleep in the bed across the room from his. He'd intended to get them each a separate room, because as much as he _wanted_ to share one with her, he'd been determined to be a gentleman and not give her any reason to doubt him, but because of how busy the holiday season was, they'd been lucky to get _any_ room. In fact, if he hadn't had a long-standing, yearly reservation at the hotel for that particular week, they wouldn't have gotten any room at all. At least Sheena hadn't been upset or called off their trip over it. Needless to say, it had given him some lovely, unexpected opportunities to spend more time with her. And this...this was another opportunity he was extremely glad to have, and he fully intended to etch it into his brain so he could draw on it during those long, cold nights when he was trying to sleep, alone, in his mansion.

Without warning, Sheena shifted, snuggling closer to him, and Zelos froze, lying still so he wouldn't rouse her. A moment later she fell back asleep, and he relaxed, his heart catching in his throat and twisting in longing as he observed her, having difficulty breathing. Accidentally waking her was the last thing he wanted to do. No, right now he wanted to savor this sight, the beauty of her dark hair splayed against his chest and the faint smile of contentment toying on her lips; he wanted to enjoy this unexpected, miraculous moment of being with her like this, of holding her in his arms and feeling her warm body pressed against his and her breath tickling his neck; he wanted to marvel over the trust she was displaying in him not to molest her while she slept. And while this was the first time she'd ever let him hold her like this, Zelos was afraid he'd already become addicted to it and now wanted to experience it every night for the rest of his life, something that simply wasn't possible.

...Well, it wasn't possible _yet_.

With that realization had come the reminder of what today was: New Year's Day. And once upon a time, he'd vowed he would do something on New Year's, something he'd been dreading for months for fear of what might come of it: he had to reevaluate their relationship, examine it objectively, determine how well they were doing, consider where it was going and where he was _willing_ to let 'them' go, and then make a decision regarding their future together. The minute the clock had hit midnight, therefore, he'd had no choice but to do so, forcing himself to quit solely admiring her beauty and to instead seriously consider those points. He had given himself three months to enjoy being with her, to build trust, and to basically see how it all went, but now he had reached the end of that line. And that meant it was now time to move past that exploratory stage, get serious about looking toward the future, and make a choice, one that would likely change everything, depending on what he decided.

So, to that end, knowing the future that awaited her, one not even she could control, he had to ask himself the question he'd been avoiding for months: did he see a future for them? In other words, was he in this relationship with her completely, or was he only in it so long as it didn't affect his cushy life in Meltokio? Sure, he'd been considering the question casually ever since that morning Orochi had mentioned how important the chief's spouse was in Mizuho, but 'casual' wouldn't cut it anymore. It seemed wrong to be pondering this after only five months, because if she was any other woman in any other position, he wouldn't even be _considering_ a future like this, but Orochi had made it clear how tight this deadline was, and now roughly six months remained before Chief Igaguri's grace period expired and Sheena became chief. And the fact of the matter was that Sheena needed to find a husband before that happened, something both she and Orochi had confirmed.

Right now Zelos was positive he was her only prospect; she wasn't dating anyone else, and considering how clear she'd made it that Lloyd wasn't on her radar anymore, he figured it was safe to say she wasn't interested in anyone else. Granted, every time Zelos saw Orochi he became more convinced _Orochi_ was interested in _her_ , based on Orochi's longing looks at her, the jealousy in his eyes when he saw Zelos, and his uncharacteristically threatening demeanor whenever Zelos was around, but so long as Sheena didn't return Orochi's feelings, then Zelos doubted he was a serious option. And that meant if only six months remained before she became chief, and if he really couldn't envision himself in a future fitting those parameters, then as much as it would kill him, he had to end things with her. He loved her far too much to waste the little time she had remaining to find a spouse to fill that important role in her life. And _that_ meant he had to decide once and for all what his position on potentially becoming that 'suitable spouse' was.

So where was he at with it, seriously? He was hopelessly in love with her, that was where he was - in a way that went way beyond where he'd been when Orochi had explained the gravity of this requirement for her. And her words to him two weeks ago, their trip to Altamira, her reaction to his gift for her, and now this, watching her sleep so peacefully in his arms, made that all the more impossible to ignore, as did a glance at the picture on the table of their first date, back when he hadn't had a clue what he was getting into with her. The past few weeks, as thoughts about this looming deadline had started nagging at him, he'd found himself wondering more often whether or not _she_ even held a place for him in her future, because if she didn't, then he had nothing left to think about. But when she'd given him this picture, evidence of a beautiful memory only they shared, well, that combined with her words of commitment two weeks ago and their trip to Altamira, something she never would have done unless she truly loved him, was the answer he'd been looking for. She wasn't going anywhere, not now. And he would take that for what it was: subtle permission to start thinking along these lines. If she really couldn't see a future for them, then she never would have done that; that was how he was choosing to interpret her actions, because the alternative didn't make sense, nor did it fit with what he knew of her.

Beyond that, though...well, that was where things got stickier. Was he sure about _Sheena_ , that she was the only woman for him? Yes, he was, especially after the past two weeks. Was he sure about their relationship, that he wanted to continue it? Yes, without any doubt. It, _she,_ was by far the best thing that had ever happened to him, even better than being freed from Cruxis and ridding the world of all need for a Chosen. But was he sure the future that was destined for her was one _he_ could be part of - and not just for a month or two, but for the _rest of his life_? As much as he hated to admit it, no, he wasn't. It wasn't an outright _'No, no way, not a chance in hell am I ever agreeing to_ _ **that**_ _,_ ' but it was definitely a _'No, I'm not dismissing the possibility for good yet, but I'm in no way sure about it, either.'_ The problem, he'd concluded after pondering that long and hard overnight, wasn't with the unknown responsibilities that would be expected of him in such a role, nor was it the commitment he'd have to make to stay with one woman for the rest of his life, nor was it the thought of being anyone's _husband_. No, the problem was Mizuho itself.

After all, in order for him to answer that question with a firm, _'Yes, I will do this for the rest of my life,'_ he would have to make peace with the village itself...and that, unfortunately, didn't seem likely. Sure, the villagers weren't quite as cold toward him as they used to be, but it was still painfully obvious they neither liked nor trusted him, either. Orochi couldn't stand him, for reasons Zelos was pretty sure he now understood, and every opportunity he got, he gave Zelos a warning look that harkened back to his threat to 'kill' Zelos if he ever hurt Sheena. Every time he visited there, he still had to explain to the guard at the gate why he was there; even after five months, he still had to wonder every time he went there if his reason for visiting would be convincing enough to grant him entry. And all the villagers still eyed him warily, refused to speak to him, and whispered about him, questioning why he was there and why Sheena was letting him 'waste' her time; he knew they were trying to be discreet by keeping their voices down, but his angel senses still picked up every word. And the thought of being on the receiving end of that kind of treatment for _the rest of his life_ was...well, it wasn't appealing, and he honestly didn't think he could do it.

As a result, the only time he ever felt comfortable in Mizuho was when he was with Sheena in her home. He felt no fondness toward the villagers, either; the thought of living amongst them on a full-time basis was enough to send him reeling back to Meltokio permanently, a place where they might not care about _him_ , but at least he was accepted and had a few real friends there. And all things considered, the bottom line was that the villagers would never accept him in such a capacity should he move there anyway, not as Sheena's husband nor as this 'chief's spouse,' so why was he even flirting with the idea of one day doing so?

On the other hand, though, he couldn't forget Igaguri's welcome to him three months ago. It was subdued, sure, but it was also the closest thing he suspected he would ever get to acceptance in Mizuho - and honestly, wasn't that the best acceptance he _could_ get there? He hadn't spoken to Igaguri much since then beyond cordialities, but Igaguri had never been _cold_ toward him, either. And if Igaguri really didn't want him near Sheena, wouldn't he have kicked him out or at least warned him to leave her alone because he had no chance of being with her permanently? Didn't it say _something_ that he hadn't? Igaguri wasn't just Sheena's grandfather; he was Mizuho's _chief._ That meant he was the person who would put his foot down for good about whether or not Zelos was allowed to have any part in her life. Igaguri wasn't stupid; even if they'd hidden 'public displays of affection' from Mizuho, Orochi had undoubtedly told him about their relationship, and so Igaguri had to know Zelos was a potential suitor for his granddaughter. If he really wasn't happy about that, he could have ended it months ago. And the fact that he hadn't...well, that was definitely a point in Mizuho's favor. As far as Zelos was concerned, even one person's tolerance of him there besides Sheena's was a step in the right direction. In fact, that alone, he couldn't help thinking, might just be enough to convince him to give Mizuho a chance.

...Which he was starting to think he had no choice but to do. Since he couldn't see Sheena leaving Mizuho, nor could he see her turning down the role of chief, the remaining alternatives were obvious: either he gave Mizuho a sincere chance to grow on him, win him over, and become a place he could conceive of living, or he had to dump her. Since his mind couldn't even comprehend of the latter, and since at least _one_ person - and an extremely important one, at that - had made it clear Zelos was welcome there, the former was his only real option. He knew trying to make that happen would take a lot of time and effort, assuming it happened at all, and more than that, he had to be mentally prepared and determined to give it a sincere chance to win him over, because if he didn't go into it with the right frame of mind, it would never happen, not with the animosity he received from the villagers. Even if he got started doing that immediately, though, was six months enough time for such a mental shift to occur? He honestly didn't know. It seemed unlikely, but then, stranger things had happened before.

But that was all the time he had left, and if he wasn't fully committed to trying to make that acceptance happen, then he wouldn't be able to give an honest answer in six months. If at that point he'd given Mizuho the necessary chance and his answer was still an unequivocal, _'No, I can't do this,'_ well, that would be that, and he'd have to deal with the guilt of having wasted the time Sheena needed to find a 'suitable spouse.' But if by then he thought he _could_ handle it...well, there would be that answer, too. Part of him couldn't help thinking this whole situation would be easier if he could just _talk_ to her about it, ask her the details and what _her_ thoughts on the matter were, and find out where _she_ saw their relationship going. The truth was, though, he didn't want to broach this subject with her until he was absolutely sure, one way or the other, about his answer. After all, the only thing that could be worse than telling her 'no' when he didn't know all the details and hadn't given Mizuho a proper chance would be getting her hopes up that he wanted and could handle such a life only to find he couldn't and then had to crush that hope. He'd been there, having a soaring hope devastated, and he loved her too much to inflict that kind of pain and disappointment on her.

But the one thing he was now positive about, especially after thinking all night and after everything that had happened the past two weeks, was that he _would_ give Mizuho that chance to win him over - and, more than that, he would do everything he could to accept it. He couldn't let Sheena go without being certain it wouldn't work. And since that was the case, giving Mizuho a chance was his only option. Starting today, therefore, he wouldn't shy away from serious thoughts about the future; he would embrace them and focus on finding something capable of convincing him he had a chance in Mizuho and a place in Sheena's future permanently. And in six months, he would declare his answer.

He didn't have a clue how or if this would work, or if he, an outsider, was someone Igaguri would even consider for such a role, but he would figure it out. He _wanted_ this to work, because he wanted _her_. He loved her too much to let Mizuho and an uncertain future stand in his way of being with her, of being able to revel in her goodness, in the goodness she brought into his life, and in the goodness she lured out of him. He wanted to prove that her love, faith, and trust in him were warranted and that he wouldn't let her down, and he wanted to prove that to himself, too. He actually _liked_ himself when he with her, the man she brought out of him, and he wanted that feeling of self-acceptance and self-worth to last. He wanted to thank her for the second chance she had given him, and this would be the perfect way of doing so. Sure, he wasn't ready to commit to anything yet, even though part of him already suspected it knew what his final decision would be based simply on how much he loved her and the atypical things he'd already found himself doing for her, but in six months...well, in six months he might be. All he could do was wait and see what time and fate brought them.

It was time to start looking forward, to try to accept the future that would be required of him to be with her for good, and he'd be damned if he didn't do that to the best of his ability. He knew himself: if he wanted something badly enough, he would do whatever it took to make it happen. So much had changed in the past six months; he could only imagine how much more would change in the next six. He had made his decision now; he would cross that line into the next phase of their relationship. He was taking that step forward, and he wouldn't look back again until he'd made up his mind once and for all.

And that was that.

Without warning, Sheena stirred again, her body shifting, and she sighed softly. Unable to resist, Zelos smiled and let the fingers of his left hand trail over her exposed arm, trying to soothe her back to sleep, once again admiring the sight of this beautiful, amazing woman curled up against him. Oh, how he wished he could experience this every morning for the rest of his life. And again, he imprinted the image in his mind to serve as a reminder, whenever his hope for the future dimmed, of what he could potentially have awaiting him one day. Instead of falling back asleep, though, that time Sheena nuzzled her face further into his chest, her hand trailing downward toward his navel, making his breath catch the lower it went. A moment later it stopped, her body stilled, and her eyes groggily opened. She blinked a few times blearily, then lifted her hand and rubbed her face before tilting her head upward...and again, Zelos found himself breathless, his heart pounding harder, when she offered him a soft, shy smile before lowering her chin to his chest, still looking up at him. Not even a year ago she would've been furious to find him holding her like this and would have declared him to be an incorrigible pervert, beat him up, and stormed away, but now...

"Morning," she murmured.

Zelos was pretty sure his grin was ridiculously, embarrassingly sappy, but he was also pretty sure he didn't care. "Morning, sweetheart," he murmured back to her, careful to keep his voice soft so he didn't wake their friends. "Sleep well?"

"Mm hmm." She stretched a little, and with his angel senses he could hear a joint or two crack, too, but then she sank back down against him, her eyes closing as she snuggled into his side again. "Mm...what time is it?"

He lightly brushed his fingers over her face, trying again to soothe her. "Early. It's not even light out yet. Go back to sleep."

Sheena fell silent again, and he was hopeful she was sliding back into the blissful darkness of sleep so he could go on admiring the utter cuteness and sexiness of his incredible girlfriend, but after a minute she breathed in deeply and then lifted her chin to his chest again, looking back up at him. "How long have you been awake?"

...Heh. He grinned, not wanting to tell her the truth for fear she'd be embarrassed to learn he'd been 'staring' at her the entire night, seeing as she had an endearing aversion to it. Instead, he shrugged nonchalantly. "Longer than you."

A smile toyed on her lips as she closed her eyes, lowered her cheek to his chest again, and shook her head. "If you were staring at me all night, I'm gonna have to smack you."

It took all his restraint not to burst out laughing. " _Me_?" he said as quietly and innocently as he could muster. "Stare at _you_? Why would I _ever_ do that, my dear?"

"You don't want me answering that," she mumbled. "Especially since you pretty much just confirmed my fear."

He grinned. "Hey, I'm not confirming or denying anything. But whatever the case, it really is still early, and no one else is up yet, so go back to sleep a little while longer."

Sheena sighed and nodded, settling back in against him. Only a minute later, though, she started squirming and shifting around again, clearly trying to get comfortable, and that...well, naturally, the movement, combined with her heat and her weight and their intimate position, just resulted in warmth and fiery desire spreading through his body. It wasn't uncommon for that to happen, considering how attracted to her he was - more now than ever before, in fact, and it was growing stronger the harder he fell for her - but it was also annoying when he was determined to keep his promise to her. But since it _did_ happen so regularly, Zelos had learned that the best way to deal with it was to distract himself and stop her from doing whatever she was doing that was causing it.

"I said go back to sleep, not pretend you've turned into a wiggle worm," he instructed her.

She snorted but thankfully did stop. "I would if I could, but my mattress and pillow are too lumpy to let me."

Yep, it was official: sleepy, playful Sheena was the cutest, sexiest thing he'd ever seen. "Yeah, well my blanket is not only squirmy, but it's so heavy that it's cutting off circulation to my arm!" he retorted, forcing himself to keep his voice down.

One of her eyes popped open and she lifted her head, giving him a glare that failed miserably. "You'd better not be saying I'm fat, buddy, or I really _will_ have to smack you."

He shook his head, his grin broadening. "Wouldn't dream of it, love. You have the most toned, voluptuous, gorgeous, sexy body I've ever had the pleasure of..." The tiny prick of pain that shot through his chest wasn't a surprise, but its suddenness still made him jump. "Hey, ow! Now my blanket isn't just squirmy, but it's grown pinchers, too!"

"Be glad it didn't grow anything worse than that," she muttered, lowering her head again.

He poked her back. "Hey, I _distinctly_ remember telling you last night that you'd be more comfortable if I slept on the floor so you had the couch to yourself, but noooo, _someone_ wouldn't let me out of her possessive little grasp. And now you're whining about how _'lumpy'_ your mattress and pillow are?"

"Yeah, so? I was too warm and comfy last night to even consider letting the source of that warmth and comfy-ness leave me!"

Zelos couldn't help it; he grinned stupidly as another giddy wave of love swept through him, glad she couldn't see it from her position. He was so damn in love with this woman that it made his heart ache, and the excited churning in his gut just reaffirmed that he'd made the right choice to see this through and hope he could come to accept everything that would be required of him to be with her for good. And now that that decision was made, one he was surprisingly comfortable with considering how unlike him it was, he was even more excited - and nervous, too, but mostly excited - to get started doing exactly that.

But right now she was being playful, and he was _not_ passing by such an opportunity. "So I take it you don't want me to leave, despite the fact that I'm _'lumpy'_?"

Her lips curled upward. "Well, not really..."

"Then quit squirming or I'll be forced to toss my blanket off the couch!"

Instantly, her head shot upward and she peered at him through narrowed eyes, but the grin was still betraying her. _Heh, doesn't look like_ _ **she**_ _will be going back to sleep anytime soon_ , he thought, successfully resisting the urge to smirk. And while that was a disappointment in a sense, he would always have his memory of this night to look back on, and so he could afford to enjoy this new moment, too. "You _wouldn't_!" she hissed.

"Well, you're right, I wouldn't," he said with a shrug, but then his willpower failed him and he caved to the irresistible, wicked smirk. "But I could toss something _else_ off the couch instead. Y'know, a robe here...a shirt there..."

Her eyebrows rose and she returned his smirk challengingly, her eyes sparkling. "Don't make me tickle you!"

He could literally _feel_ the mischievousness flare in his eyes. "Ooh, I'm soooo scared..."

"Agh, those two are even worse when they're dating and acting all kissy-faced with each other!" Genis suddenly exclaimed, and from the corner of his eye, Zelos could see the kid cover his face with his hands where he lay on the floor between Lloyd and the chair where Regal was sleeping. "Now she's not stopping all his stupid flirting by beating him up!" He lowered his hands and propped himself up on his elbows so he could see the couch. "Just get a room already!"

Okay, _that_ was impossible to resist. "Ooh, did you hear that, sweetheart?" Zelos said, waggling his eyebrows. "Can we, can we? Please?" He yelped and jumped again as another prick of pain raced through his chest, and he gave her a mock-offended pout. "Hey, ow! Careful with those nails, babe - they hurt!"

Sheena rolled her eyes and shook her head in a pitiful attempt to look disgusted. She really needed to learn to control her smile if she wanted to be taken seriously when doing that. "That's the point. Idiot."

"He's, like, twice as old as I am, yet he's five times more of a childish oaf than I _ever_ was," Genis muttered, laying back down and folding his arms behind his head. "I still can't believe you're dating him, Sheena."

"Better get used to it, brat," Zelos said. "We're not ending this relationship over _you_."

Sheena grinned as she lowered her chin back to Zelos's chest, her eyes still locked with his. "Sorry, Genis, but I have to agree with the idiot. Not gonna happen."

"I can threaten you guys with Indignation, you know."

Zelos bit his lip and tilted his head. "Hmm...I'm pretty sure Judgment tops that, doesn't it?"

Sheena snorted. "Sorry to break this to you, but Maxwell and Origin would like a word with you both."

"...Oh. Right. Your summons win, hands down." Zelos grinned cheekily. "That's my girl."

"We could test it and find out; I still think Indignation would top those any day!" Genis replied. "Oh! Or maybe Meteor...yeah, _that_ would be fun! _Splat_!"

"Not in _my_ house, you're not!" Lloyd suddenly said. _Heh, looks like another person is awake_ , Zelos thought, grinning. "As cool as a battle to the death of high-level spells and summon spirits would be, my dad just finished building this house, and I don't want it destroyed by some falling meteors or lightning strikes or summon spirits. Go outside to do that...just make sure you tell me when so I can come watch the show!"

"Ooh, that sounds like fun, Lloyd!" Colette said. _And_ _ **another**_ _person joins the ranks of crazy people awake at this ungodly hour_. "Can we try it? I can use Judgment, too!"

"Yeah, Colette and I can double-team you guys and show you what we Chosen can do!" Zelos said, beaming happily.

Sheena rolled her eyes. "Maxwell and Origin are still gonna kick you all into next month."

Without warning, Regal cleared his throat. "I apologize for saying this, but could you possibly keep your voices down a little? Some of us are still trying to sleep."

"Yes, Genis, I must agree with Regal," Raine said, covering her face with her hand and releasing a weary sigh. "You are being rather loud."

Genis huffed and sat up so he could see her where she was stretched out in the chair on the opposite side of the room. "Why are you yelling at _me_ , Raine?" He pointed at Zelos and Sheena. "Those annoying lovebirds on the couch were the ones who started it!"

"At least _they_ were being quiet about it," she replied. " _You_ , on the other hand, were not."

"I must agree, Genis," Presea stated. _And now_ _ **everyone**_ _is awake,_ Zelos noted, his smirk broadening. This was exactly why they'd been trying to be quiet before, but apparently Genis hadn't gotten the memo. "You are being rather loud. We would appreciate it if you would lower your voice."

A glance at Genis showed his eyes had widened in alarm. "P...Presea! I...I'm sorry...but Sheena and that moron woke me up! They were being all stupid and flirty and lovey dovey over there...it was disgusting!"

Without warning, Sheena lifted herself up from Zelos's chest, reached down at their feet, grabbed a pillow from the other end of the couch, and threw it at Genis's head, smacking it soundly. Zelos grinned wickedly as Sheena smirked, clearly pleased at her handiwork, and laid down against him again. "Well, that's _one_ way to shut him up-" Before Zelos could even finish, though, a pillow suddenly came flying and smacked him in the head. "Hey!"

Genis grinned broadly as Zelos turned to glare at him. "Whoops, missed."

Okay, there was _no way_ he was letting _that_ go. "Sheeennnaaa!" He pouted as she arched an amused eyebrow at him, and he pointed at Genis. "He's being mean to me again!"

Sheena growled and pushed herself up again so she could glare at Genis. "Hey, absolutely _no one_ beats up my boyfriend but me!"

"Yeah!" Zelos said as he reached down and grabbed the pillow from the floor, then he realized what she'd just said and wrinkled his face. "Wait, what?"

Giving him a wicked grin, Sheena murmured, "Gimme that thing," and motioned at the pillow in his hand. He quickly relinquished it to her, and she tossed it right back at Genis...but because of her weird angle, it arced a little too far left and hit Lloyd instead. Her eyes widened and she quickly ducked back down, whispering a soft "Whoops!" that made Zelos burst out laughing.

"Hold it, why are pillows flying at _me_?" Lloyd said, sitting up. " _I_ didn't do anything!"

Without missing a beat, Genis pointed at Zelos. "It was him!"

"Now wait just one damn minute...I haven't thrown a single pillow yet!" Zelos grinned smugly. "My sexy, voluptuous pillow thrower has."

"Yeah, well, your sexy, voluptuous pillow thrower has terrible aim then," Lloyd grumbled. "Take this!" Zelos could see him fumbling around for something on the floor, and knowing what was coming, Zelos quickly covered his head and ducked down protectively toward Sheena...but the blow never came. "Uh...whoops! Heheh...sorry 'bout that, Presea."

"Why am I being hit with pillows?"

Zelos quickly lowered his arms and looked down at Sheena, both bursting into soft laughter. "I guess Lloyd's aim isn't any better than mine," she said.

Before Zelos could reply, though, Genis burst out, "Llllooooyyyydddd! Leave Presea out of this!" He grabbed his pillow and smacked Lloyd with it, eliciting an "Oomph!" from him.

"Hey, don't do that to Lloyd, Genis!" Colette suddenly said, then she grabbed her own pillow, leaned across Lloyd, and smacked Genis with it...and only an instant after she'd retreated back to her bed, Genis threw a pillow back at her. Because Colette ducked down to dodge it, though, the pillow kept going...stopping only when it hit Raine.

Instantly, Raine bolted upright. "Who did that?"

"I believe it was your brother," Regal said, turning onto his other side so he was facing the others - most likely anticipating that more pillows would soon be flying and wanting to see them coming and duck them, Zelos figured.

"Genis!"

Atop Zelos, Sheena started chuckling again as Raine tossed her own pillows at Genis - and a minute later, Regal and Presea were joining in the fight, too. "I had no idea my pillows would end up being used for _this_ ," Sheena said, looking up at Zelos and beaming him a happy, beautiful smile. "Popular, eh?"

Zelos grinned down at her. "Looks like you made a good choice with those, sweetheart." His eyes darted again at the picture sitting on the coffee table, then turned back to her. "You've made quite a few of those lately."

She returned his grin. "So have you. Love you."

"Love you, too."

Pushing herself upward and glancing at the others, an action Zelos mirrored as he sensed her intent - _yep, they're too distracted to be paying attention to what's happening on the couch,_ he noted with a smirk - Sheena leaned down and gave him a tender kiss. Without warning a few seconds later, though, a pillow suddenly smacked their heads, forcing them apart, with Genis whining (despite Lloyd's declaration last night that public displays of affection _were_ permitted in his house so long as they were done tastefully) that he should _not_ have to see that. It was at that point that Zelos couldn't help it: he declared war, because absolutely _no one_ interrupted a kiss between him and his incredible, ultra gorgeous girlfriend-slash-sexy, voluptuous pillow thrower and lived to tell about it. Both he and Sheena grabbed pillows of their own and started throwing them, and thus was waged the Great Pillow Fight of Year 1 of the reunited worlds. Sides switched constantly, with allies abandoning their partners to side with someone else, and enemies suddenly deciding to team up against a common foe, but through it all, Sheena stood by Zelos, and Zelos stood by her.

If Zelos had his way and if fate allowed, that was how it would always be. And he'd be damned if he didn't do everything in his power to make sure that happened.

~Fin~


End file.
